Second Generation Baba Yaga
by Triple D aka Dark Demon
Summary: *DZ2 'Black Sheep' challenge reply* They say that the darkness of night is wherr the true monsters of evil live. I say thst they're wrong and all the truly evil monsters live in the light of day. They wear false faces to hide their vile natures and the world at large allows it. I refuse to. I am Hadrian Hakan Jonovich, second gen Baba Yaga & evil plaguing the world will die.
1. Chapter 1

**DZ2 'BLACK SHEEP' CHALLENGE RESPONSE**

Plot: Petunia wasn't Harry's only relation, let alone one without magic: what nobody told him was that there was another, but there's a reason they never talk about him/her.

Rules: Grey, Dark or Evil Harry Dark Grey though Evil-ish moments are not ruled out

Powerful Harry or stronger

When the story starts is up to you Pre-Hogwarts

The 'black sheep' MUST either be a magical relation of either Lily or James

In either case, they MUST be an elder sibling

Why they are the black sheep is up to you, but I'd PREFER it if they had something about them that makes them persona non grata as far as Lily/James and their friends were concerned Lily's older brother John was initiated into her family business and was not bothered by the blood on his hands while she vehemently turned her back on it

If Harry meets his estranged relative when at Hogwarts, it MUST start with a letter to him while at Hogwarts

If Harry meets his estranged relative during the summer at Hogwarts, however, it can either be a chance encounter, an arranged meeting or some other way

If Harry meets his estranged relative before Hogwarts, the relative MUST remind the Dursleys why they were never supposed to be raising Harry

At least one of Lily/James' friends - including Petunia if you want - MUST be against the idea of the relation taking care of Harry

If/When Harry discovers the truth about why his relative is PNG with the family, they MUST have an argument about the relative's true intentions

While mentoring Harry, the relative MUST teach him at least one branch of magic not taught at Hogwarts

All pairings are welcome

Guidelines:

-Crossovers Sort-of accepted: scattered John Wick references & John raising Harry

-Super/OP Harry Eventually OP

-Dark-Lord Harry Not quite Dark Lord but he is not Mr. Nice Guy

-Lily was actually a pure-blood Accepted sort of; see note before story start

-BOTH Lily and James had black sheep who help Harry Maybe

-The relative took a new surname No

-The relative wants to turn Harry into a leader like Tom or an anti-Dumbledore Maybe

-The relative became a Dark Creature Half-accepted; the entire bloodline has creature blood from its earliest roots

-The relative is actually a canon character who took their new name after being cast out No

-Harry has a cousin other than Dudley (relative's kid) No

-Harry makes/requests/is given an Unbreakable Vow or some other equally-binding magical promise before trusting his relative Accepted

-Slash Not for Harry but others are possible *cough*NEVILLE*cough*

-Harems No

-Harry/Multi Accepted; the max is two, one is Luna for sure but the other is undecided

-The relative trains Harry in certain Muggle techniques to aid him (e.g. weapons training, self-defence, mentalism etc.) Accepted

-For some reason, the relative convinces Harry to side with Tom, but not as a mere pawn No

-After leaving Privet Drive, the blood wards' magic switches to the relative No, Johns paranoia would see him erect his own wards and protections that outclass the blodwards

Forbidden:

-Light Harry

-Petunia as Harry's only blood relative

-Harry turning away from his magical relative, even after their argument

-The relative younger than Lily or James

-Meet at Hogwarts: not sending a letter/information to Harry first

-Meet before Hogwarts: the Dursleys not facing justice

-Weak Harry

-The relative NOT making Harry better than he is in canon

-The relative out to manipulate Harry to his death

Note: About Lily being a Pureblood, I'm going to toy with hinted at backstory revealed in the latest John Wick movie for this to make sense. There are no spoilers so don't get your metadata panties in a bunch. In John Wick Chapter 3: Parabellum, John reveals he is the last of his tribe while on his quest to survive. What if within the Ruska Roma, John's tribe was considered Royalty among Russian Gypsies? He never expands on it in the movie and this is fanfic so its possible. Being the oldest male would make John the new King and his younger sister Lily the default princess to the throne; this would make her, in the eyes of British Purebloods, a Pureblood herself but her turning her back on it and John would strip her status in the eyes of the gypsy clans. Therefore the next in line to the John's throne would be his nephew, Harry, if anything happened to John.

* * *

"Kill the woman and child. Torture the whale before you kill him. Make it look like a murder-suicide thing."

"Kill the kid? Mr. Wick, I hate these flesh bags as much as the next but-"

"They nearly murdered my nephew. Kill them or I'll do it myself and kill you just for disobeying the High King of the High Table."

Six year old Harry James Potter had seen a lot happen in short life. He had felt a lot happen to him in his short lifetime but the secene before him… this was terrifying in its own right. His aunt, uncle and cousin were held at gun point by two of the local armed police while a man he had never seen before approached him with gun in hand. His survival instincts, honed by surviving his relatives, screamed for him to run as two pops filled the air as his uncle screamed bloody murder as the light left Dudley's eyes. Scrambling backwards in fear he could care less as a whimper left his lips. Any pretense of courage and bravery could be kicked to the curb for the time being until he was safe away from these men.

The man one of the cops identified as Mr. Wick sighed and holstered the pistol on his hip. "Peace Matroyshka, I have no intent to harm you" he said kneeling down as the young boys skeletal thin form backed into a wall.

For a moment Harry's eyes glazed over as a half remembered memory surfaced. Red hair, loving green eyes, a woman calling him her innocent matroyshka and singing him a lullaby but it wasn't in english. "H-how do yo-"

"I know your mother called you Matroyska because it was what our mother had done to us. We were her Matroyska, her innocent dolls, as small children and even though Liliana turned her back on me & the ways of our people, I know she would carry on our mothers traditon with her children. Well, I should say child since you are the only one" the man said offering a hand out to the boy. "What is your name little one?"

Harry looked at the hand with a mixture of trepidation and curiostiy. On the one hand this person claimed to be family and know his mother. On the other hand, he seemed to hold enough power to have two cops murder his aunt and cousin- what could he do him? The silence was heavy and tense until his stomach roared making his hunger known causing a massive blush to stain across his cheeks. He wanted to curse his body for betraying his hunger but it had been four days since he was allowed to eat..

"You don't have to tell me now, how about that? What say I make you something to eat and we can talk when you're ready" the man suggested with a kind smile. "I swear on my life-blood and soul I will never hurt you intentionally Matroyshka unless I am training you to defend yourself. I protect my kin from harm, not be the cause of it" he promised, a silver glow encompassing his form.

A shuddering warmth filled Harry as he felt something connect to some part of him on a primal level. He didn't have the foggiest clue what that something was but he knew it was there. "Harry.. Harry James Potter" he said hesitantly taking the mans hand. "But I don't… I don't know if that's right…" he said struggling for a moment to choose his words.

The man frowned and gently led Harry to the kitchen. "What do you mean you're not sure?" he asked helping nephew, his near feather light nephew, into a chair and pushed it in before searching cupboards to see what was where to make Harry something to eat.

"I… I have this dream sometimes… A pretty lady with green eyes and red hair… She's looking at me and she calls me something different" Harry said looking down at the table, his eyes focused on the grain of the wood.

The man looked over sharply at that. Did Liliana not name her child as he said it was? If she didn't then what did she name his nephew? Better yet, how could he remember her saying it? He couldn't have been more than an infant if she ever told him what his true name was. "That lady was your mother Liliana though she prefered to be called Lily" he said crouching down beside the chair his nephew was sat on. "Tell me what she called you in this dreams of yours" he said gently tilting Harry's head so bright emerald green eyes met dark brown.

"I.. I don't know if this is how you say it but… Hadrian Hak..Hakan? Jono-"

A light sparked to life within the mans eyes. "Jonovich" he said finishing for Harry who nodded. "A strong name for a Prince."

Harry looked up in surprise at that as the man stood with a sense of pride exuding from his being. "A Prince? But I'm not a Prince of anything.." he said weakly.

"Perhaps me introducing myself will help clear up a few things. My name is Jardani Jonovich though I am most recognized by the name of John Wick. I am the Gypsy High King, Head of the High Table and more importantly I am your real uncle. I am your mother Liliana's older brother" the man said as he glanced to the living room where a third gun shot went off and saw the fat mans limp hand fall away, a hole through the back of his skull and brain mattter splatter the wall. "Stay right there ok? I'll be right back to make you some food but I need to have some choice words with that experiment on the couch."

Harry couldn't get a word out before the man was gone into the living area where the armed cops were.

"I know you're still alive Vernon" John said with a dark demented smile on his lips. "You really thought you could get away with it didn't you, abusing my blood and turning him into something he was not destined to be.. Yet here I am… Blood wards would have kept me away if it was't for one thing. Care to make a guess?"

Vernon made a gurgling moaning sound as blood fell from his lips in rivlets of increasing volume.

"Give the filthy commoner a prize! Yes Vernon, the wards were made using my sisters blood! They couldn't keep you safe from me forever" John said with a sneer curling his lip. In a flash three shots were put into the man fatty flesh though he was mindful to make them fatal but not immediately death inducing blows. "Your family, Albus Dumbledore and this filthy nation may have stolen my sister from the mortal coil but you will not steal my nephew from me!" he said with a menacing growl.

Harry, despite his hunger, pushed the chair back and stumbled over to John. Even if the man was lying to him, he wouldn't have been the first to do so, he was the first to be genuinely kind to him. "He's not worth it" he said hugging onto one leg tightly.

John looked down, his expression softening and growl dying in his throat. "You're right Matroyshka, he isn't worth it." He knelt down moving a hand to card through the raven colored locks. A small amused glint appeared momentarily as Harry almost purred at the gentle affectionate touch while he filed it away for later contemplation. "Lets get you fed before I take you home with me. We have so much time to make up for and so much for me to teach you."

Harry blinked innocently and cocked his head cutely. "Teach me?" he asked sounding as perplexed as he looked. "What is there to teach me?"

"There's a lot for me to teach you, you're a wizard like me and your mum Matroyshka."

* * *

A/N: Before the torches get lit and tossed at me I'll say a few things off the bat to head off what I'm guessing will be the most common questions/criticisms:

"Harry just watched his relatives get murdered so its going to scar him!"

*Considering the abuse he suffered at the Dursley's hands, it isn't going to scar him. If anything, it'll become a treasured memory that they got what was coming to them AND family he didn't know he had was the one to save him makes it more so.

"Why is Harry willing to trust John so readily after seeing what he did and was able to order the cops to do?"

*John saved Harry and ended the one threat that was always looming over his head. Discounting John is his uncle, Harry would view him as a guardian angel that saved him and answered his many desperate pleas for help.

"Why is John calling Harry Matroyshka and why is Harry fine with being called it? What does it mean?"

* Johnh already explained it in context to their family. Matroyshka is the term/name used for Russian Nesting Dolls. As for Harry not making a fuss about being called Matroyshka by John, he associates a warmth of being called Matroyshka by the half remembered memory of his mother calling him it as an infant; it acts in the same sense for him as a blanket most children cling to when scared in the dark.

"Why is Harry purring at having John run his fingers? Is this a hint of him being a feline animagus in the future?"

*Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. Maybe its just him relishing a positive physical touch for the first time since his parents were murdered. He was an abused and neglected child remember?

"How did John know where Harry was and he needed him? Why didn't he appear sooner to help Harry?"

*Dumbledore did something to the blood wards that made John blind to where Harry was until the latest beating that put him inches from critical care. Family magic called out to John. Theres going to be a better explanation next chapter so content yourself with this for now.

"Why did the cops follow John's orders? British cops adhere to different gun laws."

*Fair point but the criminal underground of assassins, thieves and every other sort of undesireable spans the globe & offer services when the gold coin is flashed. Assassins being in mundane police departments won't care about gun laws.

"How is Vernon alive after 'shooting himself' in the head?! That should kill you automatically!"

*People have survived gun shot wounds to the head. What matters in cases lilke that is where the entry and exit wound is.

I think that should be the bulk of main questions/criticisms answered pre-emptively. All reviews, favorites, follows and subs appreciated and make it more rewarding to me when I do post. I know I need to update other stories but they're being redone with a fine tooth comb and I'm going over drafts I had done to see if I need to redo them. I appreciate you all.

Toodles loves~


	2. Aftershock and Motivations

By the time Harry, it would take a while to get used to being called Hadrian since it was apparently the name on his birth certificate found in a trunk his uncle summoned with magic, felt the world stop spinning he knew two things for certain. Number one, they were definot in Britain. That he knew was fact since his uncle John had said home for him was in some place called New York. it was a rather queer name for a place but who was he to judge considering he had been forced to live in a place called Little Whinging? A town named after the action of whining; it baffled him at times. 'Then again, all anyone ever did there was whine' he thought absently.

Number two, and going hand-in-hand with number one, was that this New York place was leagues different from Surrey. The buildings were taller, houses so much more different than Privet Drives cookie cutter designs and the people! He didn't know if it was just the veritable culture shock coming off first exposure but Harry was stunned by the sheer variety of people that he saw.

John snorted in amusement as he saw his nephews surprise light up his face. "You're in for quite the experience, that much I can say without reservation. Come on, there's a few people I want you to meet" he said ushering Harry toward a large but nondescript brick building. He knocked a few times -twice, once, four times, and ending with a quick triple rapping specifically- on a metal door before an eye slot was pulled back. Raising an ID to the slot he only had moment to wait before the slot closed and for the metal door to open.

"The other High Table councilors are awaiting you in the conference room Mr. Wick" the man from behind the door said.

"Fetch my dog, he has a new playmate to attend while the esteemed councilors are brought up to speed" John ordered coldly.

Harry stiffened momentarily in fear hearing that. Vernon's sister Marge and her dogs had instilled a healthy fear of the canine species in the young boy. "I-If its all the same… I can wait elsewhere… I-I'm not a dog kind of kid" he said trying to keep as much of his fear of dogs out of his voice as possible.

"You have nothing to fear of my dog Matroyshka. He is a big puppy content to lick people and lay on your lap than harm a person" John said with a kind reassuring tone. "Trust me ok? He'll sniff at you and bark once or twice but he won't hurt you."

Harry wasn't as convinced but followed his uncle through a labyrinth of corridors. He briefly caught that he'd get a full tour once he was well and his training began but for now he didn't need to concern himself with the contents of the rooms they passed. Despite the warning Harry did find himself curious as quite a few had the banging sound he associated with seeing his uncle's gun. Were they in a place where people fired them for fun? Or was it to be better with them? His mind flashed to a memory of his primary school where the only nice teacher he ever met, a young man with hair like rays of sunlight and sea foam green eyes, said if you wanted to be good at anything you had to keep practicing it. "Are there people practicing with that thing on your belt?" he asked tugging on the older man's coat.

John looked down before casting an eye to the doors around them. "Some of them are practicing to make sure they work the right way. Some are trying out new ones for the first time" he said giving a simple and mostly true explanation. The less said about those being tortured and interrogated for information, the better. Hearing the thunder of paws on polished floor he smirked a little.

Harry cringed hiding behind John as he heard barking and the clicking of claws on the floor. He chanced a peek around the older man and saw a big dog wagging its tail while looking adoringly at John.

"Sit. Stay." Once the dog followed the commands John knelt down and pulled Harry around. "He will not hurt you. Hold your hand out and let him sniff" he said with light encouragement. "I've had him around kids before and he loves them. He's liable to lick you half to death and curl up with his head on your lap so you scratch his ears."

The young boy looked between John and the dog dubiously before hesitantly offering his hand to the canines nose. The feeling of the wet nose on his hand made him jump an inch or so but also giggle a little, a carefree innocent sound, as the long tongue followed suit seconds after sniffing the hand and seeming to find him not a threat. "We can be friends right boy?" he asked taking a step towards the dog and pet his head. The barks and sound of tail meeting floor almost happily made him jump again but he wasn't afraid of the dog, not like he was of Marge's monsters. Hugging the canine he nuzzled into its fur as he felt one paw against his leg like the dog was trying to hug him back. "Does he have a name?" Harry asked looking back to his uncle John but not letting go of the dog just yet.

"No but I think between you and me, we can think of a good one for him" John said with a welcome relief flooding his system. He already planned for a protective detail to be kept on Hadrian at all times until he was done with training but knowing his canine companion liked his nephew meant the boy had another protector that would also allow him to be a kid.

Harry nodded and pulled back from the large dark furred dog. "Where are these people you wanted me to meet uncle?" he asked grabbing the leash attached to the collar and wrapped it around his hands.

"This way."

* * *

-LITTLE WHINGING, SAME TIME-

Albus Dumbledore was not a man that often surprised by much. He had survived the last century defeating his former lover Gellert Grindelwald, though no one but him knew this since he had obliviated Gellert after defeating him in the titanic duel, and being a voice to usher in change for the betterment of muggleborns. He made, despite pushback from Purebloods, services and institutions that shunned the Half-Bloods & muggleborns surrender autonomy to serve all unless they wanted to be put out of commision and fined quite a sum. He had been the driving for force behind changes in Hogwarts to level the playing field against Purebloods and Half-Bloods who were raised in the magical world & thus taught to harness magic as soon as they understood what it was versus muggleborns just entering the magical world at eleven.

For all of his accomplishments he couldn't help feeling like he had never accomplished a single thing in entire life. Almost six years ago he had left fifteen month old Harry James Potter here at Number Four Privet Drive. Almost six years ago his friend and colleague Minerva McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts under him as well as Gryffindor Head of House and professor of Transfiguration, had told him leaving the young Potter scion here was a bad idea. She had said that Vernon and Petunia Dursley were the worst type of muggles around. She had told him that Harry would end up hurt or dead if he was left there.

"I wish you were wrong Minerva" Albus said with a sigh. The scene was gory to say the least. Petunia and Dudley Dursley were executed by being shot in the head between the eyes. Vernon Dursley himself had what looked like several self inflicted gunshot wounds to his chest and one that went through the back of his head where blood, bone & grey matter stained the walls. Despite his eyes observations his body was already casting spells to check for any signs of life from the three. All three instances of the spell came back flashing red, no life signs.

"Point me Harry Potter." When his wand pointed to a door on the wall by the stairs Albus' stomach clenched as he used the standard unlocking charm on a padlock. The stench of urine, feces and old blood assaulted his nose making him gag immediately. "If he.. he isn't here..and was forced to live in this state…"

What had begun in horror as the blood wards dying grew when he felt of dark magic in the air. Dashing to the window his horror grew seeing the sickly green visage of the Dark Mark in the sky. He apparated away feeling the incoming flood of Aurors and the Obliviation Squad. His only prayer was that the remaining bobs and trinkets, each one tied to the well being of Harry himself, were still functional. His horror further still when he saw every one shattered and his office in shambles as the magic of the spells tied to the trinkets wreaked havoc.

* * *

"..and so my fellow councilors" John stopped his momentary gestures to look at Hadrian entertaining his new canine friend with belly rubs & ear scratches "that is where the business ends. For tonight at least anyways. Deliveries have been coordinated with the Continental branches globally, newly minted coins will be distributed accordingly, you" he looked to a woman with an olive complexion "have a twenty million contract to pay up to me for dealing with your London problem and you" he turned to a pasty irish man "need to get the IRA off our back. For an organization claiming to be working to the independence of your country from British control you need a lot of external help for an internal affair. I speak for all of us affiliated with the American Branch of The Continental and its many, many contractors when I say half of us are ready to put a bullet in you pasty irish head and call it a day."

The irish man said nothing.

"There is one other thing to discuss and its been sitting on the couch with your dog. Who is the child John and why is he here?"

John's gaze turned to look at the woman who spoke. She was light skinned but her accent was distinctly Eastern European. "Every councilor here is a witch or warlock so I will say this once: that is my nephew and my heir. He is all I have left after my idiot younger sister and her husband were murdered. As you can tell by his current state, he was not taken care of as he should of and placed into non-care of people who had no business being his caretakers. I rectified that problem. If I hear so much as he is wanting for anything, outside of reason, you will deal with me and be replaced on this governing body. If he is harmed in anyway out of being trained, you will deal with me and be replaced on this governing body. Trust me" John's flashed a bright deadly gold with a slit snake-like pupil "when I say there won't be enough you to be buried in a match box."

Harry, for all of the boring adult talk, had been primarily focused on his new canine friend until he heard someone ask who he was. Looking at his uncle John he was surprised to see his eyes go from brown to gold with a weird vertical line in the center. Whatever his uncle said scared the other people who jerked their heads with barely noticeable shaking. Unbeknownst to him his eyes shifted to almost the same gold color though there were six emerald green lines around the vertical pupil, three on each side. "Why are they asking about me uncle John?" he asked standing up.

The councilors noticed the eyes and shivered more as the eyes, even though they showed childlike innocence for the time being, were terrifying. The color was a darker shade of gold like a dash of bronze was tossed into a molten gold cast and those green line like dashes made the already serpentine like eyes even more snake-like.

"Just an introduction Matroyshka, that's all; introducing you as the family heir you are for our bloodlines and the Prince of this table you are by right of me being the High King & Head of this ruling body. They'll be assisting me in your training once you are well enough to begin" John said tussling Hadrian's hair affectionately.

Harry nodded his head and closed his eyes accepting the positive affectionate touch almost purring once more. Once his eyes opened they were back to green but they were now black tinged making them closer to rain forest dark green instead of bright emerald. "I promise to do my best and not waste your time as best as I can. If you're all as important as uncle John I know it's best to waste as little time as possible" he said looking to the other twelve adults at the table respectfully.

"Doing everything to the best of your abilities is the only thing I could and will ask of you" John said looking down to his nephew so their eyes met. "Now let's go home, I'll take you shopping for clothes tomorrow for clothes and toys. Come here boy."

No one said a word as John, the boy and dog left the conference room. For a kid to be that bad off spoke volumes to things John wouldn't speak about, not verbally at least. Whether it was a lack of knowing or it angering him too much they didn't know but one thing was sure; they were bound to help train the kid in presumably every part of the criminal trade. A silent exchange of glances said something far more important though; this kid was going to be more protected than Fort Knox! They were killers, thieves and every other unsavory sort but there was one line no one crossed: NEVER LAY A HAND IN VIOLENCE UNTO A CHILD!

"He's tasked us to help him make a monster" an asian man in a fine suit said kneading his temples.

"No" the Eastern European accented woma argued. "The Baba Yaya chose his heir and is using all available resources to make him worthy." She went silent for a moment. "A second generation Baba Yaga that I'm sure even Jonathan himself would not want to face on the battlefield by the time he sees us done training the boy."

* * *

"This is my, no our home" John said as he pulled up to a modest ranch style house on a few acres of privately owned land on the outer edge of the city. The outside had plenty of windows looking in, and more importantly out given who he was, while painted a rather light but neutral grey color. A few horses were being led to a barn by a couple of ranch hands but he saw Hadrian's eyes light up seeing the large gentle animals. "You can go see the horses in the morning. Let's get you into a bath and bed. Not to be rude but you need one."

Harry pouted at the needing a bath comment. "It's not my fault you know" he said with a put out tone. "Those animals would only let me clean up by spraying me with a pressure washer..." Darkness tinged his tone missing John's look of rage that passed his eyes quickly.

They washed him with a pressure washer?! They were lucky he didn't die! Stuffing the rage and disbelief into the pit within his occlumency fortress, he took a deep breath and let out slowly. "Well I'm not going to do that to you. None of those cruel things they did will ever happen here. I can tell you're a good boy and have been nothing but polite so I don't think I'll have to be too hard on you if you ever make a mistake that needs grounding" he said as his dog barked nudging Hadrian's shoulder with his nose.

Harry blinked twice in confusion before losing a little color realizing grounding meant punishment.

"Peace Matroyska, the worst I may have to do if I do have to ground you is take your toys away and put you in time out to think about what you did. I will never" John emphasized the word never deliberately "raise a hand to hurt you if you do something like… I don't know, accept candy from a stranger on the street. You are my blood, you are family and true family does not each other for small mistakes."

Harry shuddered but the fact John had been honest with him so far had him believing his uncle, the lost color being replaced with an embarrassed shameful red for assuming the worst. "So-sorry" he said shifting his gaze to his lap.

John tipped Hadrian's head up so their eyes met. "You've only known me for a few hours so it's ok. You'll see I am not like those animals who took a sick pleasure in hurting you" he said tapping the young boys nose. "I will make it so no one can ever hurt you like that again Hadrian, that is a promise I swear on the magic in my veins."


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Before this chapter begins I'd like to gloss over a few points that are going to be relevant to the coming chapters.

Point #1: TIMESKIP! This chapter jumps forward, calender wise, eight years to canon year four with the TWT. What may throw off some people is that Hadrian will refer to the gap as ten years. This is not a mistake but the result of some Family Magics that act in a way like the chamber from DBZ where time passes a lot faster inside than it does outside. This is to highlight his training both in actual magic, Potter/Jonovich/Black(hold questions about this til point 2) and other branches, but also his skills to be the next Baba Yaga. These skills involve proper gun training, martial arts, linguistics and other such skills. Training sequences will be seen as flashbacks starting this chapter onwards when relevant.

Point #2: During the timeskip Sirius escapes Azkaban and because of the Godfather Oath is able to locate Harry & assist in his training. His relationship with the others in Harry's life will be revealed as it goes but lets just say he doesn't really get on with John since his way of doing things reminds Sirius of the 'Dark Days' when his mother was alive and ruled the roost in House Black after his grandfather Arcturus died.

Point #3: Harry _DIDN'T_ attend Hogwarts at any point but went to the American school as a supplement for what his uncle John calls 'stupid magics'- the mundane boring everyday stuff that John and the other members of the High Table didn't deign to teach Harry since it was too pedestrian for their tastes.

Point #4: After being healed Harry showed himself to be a once in a generation prodigy when it comes to handling raw magic. Let me make this clear: this DOES NOT by any means of the imagination make him a god/godlike wizard. His sensitivity and handling of raw magic is on such a macro-scale, _which grows with age & control training NOT overnight_, that hes cosidered a rather frightening opponent when it comes to offensive spells on all sides of the spectrum- light, grey AND dark.

Point #5: While John would try to socialize Harry so he could be a kid between training sessions, it was perfectly clear Harry prefers an academic environment -library/museum/magical seminar on advanced magic for example- or an environment where his hands were busy rather than being around regular kids his own age just playing like there wasn't a care in the world. John blames it on the dead pieces of flesh who abused his nephew; Hadrian sees it as something not at all alarming or note worhy thinking its better that way.

Point #6: Due to point #5, Harry's education flew off the scales when he found a book on Libromancy. While it could be considered an out or a cheat, using a branch of magic that when used organizes the contents of a book into a persons head with complete comprehension and understanding just by touching it, half the things Harry heard in seminars made no sense at first so he used Libromancy in the beginning to make sense of the things he was learning about. **THIS DOES NOT MEAN HE ABUSES IT TO BE A MERLIN BE DAMNED KNOW IT ALL LIKE A CERTAIN GRYF WITCH WE KNOW OF!** He uses it only when he is at a loss of where to look or frustrated when people cannot give him a satisfactory answer but his use of it a tad too much as a kid has his IQ up there as a scarily intelligent genius without much peerage in many magical fields, albeit one without the practical experience.

Last but not least, Point #7: Because of point #6, primarily his use of Libromancy and his scary high intelligence, he took his OWL and NEWT equivalencies by the age of thirteen & passed them within the top 2%. By the time he is "sixteen"-which actually his fourteenth callender birthday-,the point at which this chapter will start, he had attained two separate Masteries before the MACUSA Board of Masters; one Mastery in Esoteric Magic(his primary Mastery) and the other in Blood Magic(made all the easier since the Jonovich Family Magic is based in and requires them to be intimately familiar with Blood Magic). His OWL and NEWT equivalency scores in addition to his dual Masteries had him hired at his alma mater IMMEDIATELY after attaining his Blood Magic Mastery and replacing the retiring Esoteric Magic professor making him the youngest, and scariest, yet qualified teacher in history of the school marking him as **Professor Jonovich.**

Just as an aside...I blame Big Bang Theory since I love the quirkiness of Sheldon, especially if you factor in Young Sheldon to give the backstory of his youth, but it falls nicely into place with my outline. There might be a shadow of OP over Hadrian right now in my explanation in how I laid out the timeskip to give a vague understanding of his training and intelligence but I promise by the Holy Hand Grenade he is going to be THE FARTHEST THING FROM OP/GODLIKE. There will be fights he can't win, there will be arguements he can't win… they just won't be with people his own actual age.

* * *

Chapter 3: Premonitions of Drama

Albus Dumbledore could not help the fierce scowl on his face as he glared fiercely at the people in front of him. While the last eight years had not changed him physically, much had changed him internally. Gone was the overly forgiving grandfatherly type. Gone was the 'everyone deserves a million chances at redemption' Albus Dumbledore; _he fired and imprisoned Snape in Azkaban for deliberately not reporting a Hufflepuff Third Year girl had been raped, beaten unconscious and obliviated inside the dungeon by a Slytherin for Merlin's sake!_ So just who could summon such ire, such anger, such...borderline hatred?

"You don't look happy to see us Professor." The speaker of the voice was a woman. Her skin was a healthy light tan, her eyes a sparkling emerald green and her hair a vibrant red.

Albus said nothing as he snapped his fingers twice.

Fawkes disappeared in a fiery flash at the silent command from his bonded partner. The phoenix was not the biggest fan of the ancient wizards change from that fateful night eight years ago but he had abandoned the notion of the 'Greater Good' which was a start in the avians mind.

"Albus, you must understand that-" the man on the womans right, the same light tan was on him but the difference was his raven hair and brown eyes, began only to be interrupted.

"You will not speak or I will kill you myself" Albus with a cold borderline cruel tone._ "Only this time you'll actually be dead and remain so."_

The pair, not to mention a female child who was a perfect of her parents with her mothers hair and dads eyes, recoiled back at the threat. The girl had heard from her parents all her life that Albus Dumbledore was a grandfatherly kind man and a family friend, what could possess him to threaten all of them? Especially her! _She'd never met the man before today!_

The adults felt a dread and horror as Fawkes reappeared with Minerva McGonagall. Whatever the woman had been about to say to Albus died in her throat as soon as she spotted them.

"Minerva… Before I do anything I may or may not regret, use the identity spell for all _former respectable_ alumni." There was a scathing undertone to Albus' words as a cold harshness came across Minerva's face.

Minerva's eyes gave nothing away as her wand moved in a complex pattern before a red and gold banner of magic popped up over the heads of the man & woman. Imprinted on the banner were the names 'James Charlus Potter' and 'Lily Catherine Potter neé Evan' with their House crest & graduation year, the respective names over the respective adults. "You disgust me. Both of you." She spat on the floor in front of the couple before storming out grumbling to herself about 'sinister no good whelps'.

"Headmaster," James tone shifted to a formal cautious tone seeing his godmothef storm out in unholy rage "we neee to find Harry."

"Go find your sister in law and her family. Last I checked he was with them" Albus said leaning forward, his face impassive but his tone still cold. It was a dutiful slap in the face to see Lily's eyes light up in sheer terror at his words.

Lily gasped in horror, her hands covering her mouth. "You put him with her?!" she demanded with worry in her tone.

_"I. Had. No. Choice."_ Each word was punctuated by a clenching of Albus' tight fist. "I went to Godric's Hollow after I heard about the attack. I found your dead bodies in the rubble. Excuse me, _what I thought_ was you dead bodies. Harry was the only living soul in the house besides me. To my knowledge neither of you had a Will, final or living, so I did the only thing I had available to me with Sirius chasing Peter & killing him for claiming to have sold the cottage out to Voldemort. An attack that killed Peter and twelve muggles. There was no alternative."

James clenched his eyes shut remembering the horror stories Lily told him about her sister. A nasty shrew of a woman with a penchant to spew vitriol about anything unnstural, particularly Lily and the fact she was a witch while Petunia was not. "Where are they? Where is our son?" he asked evenly.

"Why do you care now? Its only been nearly thirteen years. _Thirteen years left without his parents or apparent sibling_." It was a low tactic but Albus was far from a forgiving mood. He had sincerely believed the Potter line dead save for Harry. To see James and Lily alive, with a daughter in tow no less, destroyed something in him.

* * *

***NY, JONOVICH RANCH***

Hadrian smiled softly as he ran the brush over his horses coat. The whinny and swish of her tail as he ran it over her back left leg made him snort as he met the big brown eyes looking at him. "Easy girl" he said in a soothing voice. It wasn't out of the ordinary for him to take the time out of his day just to brush the coat on the Clydesdale and talk to her. His dad, he'd stopped thinking and calling John his uncle around nine or so when he formally adopted magically and by muggle means, had thought he was mad when he asked for one of the Clydessdale foals to be his horse. What it was about the particular breed of horse he didn't know but he put the effort into helping its mother raise the young foal into the beautiful mare she was now. Dropping the brush onto its spot in the rack he approached a blue bucket and plucked out an apple. He seemed to consider it for a moment.

The Clydesdale snorted and whinnied seeing the shiny green fruit in her humans hand. He would give it to her but it was a little game he had done since she was a little foal.

"Oh, you want this?" Hadrian asked playfully holding the fruit just a few inches out of the mares reach with her neck extended.

The mare snorted as her head bobbed.

"Ask me nicely" Hadrian said patting her nose gently with his empty hand. Another whinny earned a nod before he offered the fruit and its juicy flesh to the equine. While she ate out of his hand he laughed softly scratching the delicate flesh under his fingers on her nose. "There is no gentler a horse anywhere in the world than you Josie." The snort she gave before she bumped her head affectionately against him brought a warmth to the gaze. She truly was a credit to the moniker her breed was given, gentle giants.

"I hate to spoil the moment of you bondng with your equine child" John entered the barn ignoring Hadrian's scoff and soft words for Josie to ignore his dads jealousy "but we got a problem. Four of them actually."

Hadran's eyes sharpened at that. He moved his hand open dropping the apple core into an external bucket outside the stall before exiting the large stall himself and locking the outside latch. "You get some rest girl. I'll see you in the morning" he said rubbing her nose between the nostrils, her warm breath as she snorted brushing his fingers. Turning to John his mood switched to business. "Lets take this to the office" he said motioning toward the part of the barn where the business office was.

John followed behind trying to figure out how to phrase what he learned without upsetting Hadrian the least. An upset Hadrian meant his son was not controlling his magic and that not only could scare the horses but be quite deadly to them in & of itself. "I'm going to go out on a limb and say you already know what one problem is" he said carefully after taking a position opposite the youth.

"If you mean the Tri-Wizard Tournament, yes I know we are one of the other two schools to fill in the enpty spaces. The Headmistress informed me after I finally said yes to accepting the position as the Esoteric Magic professor with Delilah retiring. Yes I know I'm being forced to go back to Britain because of a technicality as a professor employed by the school." Hadrian dropped into his leather highback chair and looked directly at John. "I'm not happy about it but whatever. I don't look anything like Dumbassdoor should believe so Longbottom should have been pinned as the prophecy child after I disappeared."

John seated himself in his own highback chair and leaned back with a grimace. Instead of speaking he dropped a letter on the table. **{Read that but keep your temper and magic in check so you don't spook the horses} **John said in Russian as he slid it across the table.

Hadrian spared the multi-page letter a glance before reluctantly picking it. As his eyes roved the pages he felt his blood boil with each new sentence. His rage, contained within himself, grew as he saw the signatures and a photograph of three people; an adult man, an adult woman and a female teen that-according to the scrawled note on the back- was fourteen.** {Signatures can be forged and pictures faked}** he spat out hatefully.

**{I checked the ink mixture and magical signature against one of the last gifts Liliana gave me before she turned against me. Your blood mo-}**

**{IF THAT BITCH WAS ALIVE ALL THIS TIME AND DID NOTHING TO LOOK FOR ME, ESPECIALLY WHEN I WAS WITH THOSE ANIMALS WHO NEARLY KILLED ME, SHE IS NOT MY MOTHER!}** Hadrian all but roared with unholy fury shining with his eyes as he cut off his father John.

John almost flinched at the volume but it was thankfully not so loud to scare the equines nearby. **{I know, that is why I said blood. I know you think of Ariana as your mother after all she has done for you. For both of us son}** he said trying to bring Hadrian down to at least an even keel. Trying to reason with his son in a rage was like trying to reason with himself while in a rage, pointless. **{I don't know why they're looking for you now but I always told you I would never lie to you Hadrian. I always told I'd be honest with you and I have & will.}**

Hadrian's eyes smoldered with a hatred in his glare as the picture went up in pitch black flames before it was less than ash in under a minute. Any vitriol he might have spat was stalled as the office door opened and two women entered. One of the two was older, John's age, and a beauty to behold. Her eyes were a golden-green with dark blonde hair like a mixed copper and gold combination spilling in ringlets from her scalp. Caramel skin gave her an exotic look that was accentuated by her long model-esque limbs and figure. That was Ariana Luxiane Wick, John's second wife and the woman the young Jonovich considered to be his mother due to all the good she'd brought him and his father.

The second figure was younger, only just turning five a few days ago, and launched herself at Hadrian perching her childish form on her lap. While she possessed her mothers hair and eye color, the young girl had a light natural tan like John or Hadrian instead of Ariana's caramel complexion. This was Julia Arcadia Wick, Hadrian's beloved little sister and only blood child of John & Ariana.

_**{Is evertything alright in here? I heard yelling and Julia was worried about her daddy & big brother}** _Ariana said with a concerned tone. If her husband and son were actually yelling, presumably at each other, that was not a good sign. For anyone.

"Everything is ok my darling sister. Dad showed me some very… surprising things. We are perfectly ok, I promise" Hadrian said in a soft reassuring tone to Julia.

"Cross your heart, hope to die, stick a needle in your eyes?" Julia asked looking up to her big brother with big worried eyes and her lower lip trembling.

Hadrian cursed internally at the cuteness of his little sister. "Of course" he said hugging her to his chest to reassure her as much as possible. He and John would be having some _**very, very strong words** _later in a heavily warded room but for now he would pay his atttentions to blonde head burrowed against his chest. "Come on, you want to go say goodnight to Josie before she falls asleep?" he asked knowing how fond she was of his horse.

Almost immediately Julia's worry changed to excitement as her head nodded rapidly. She couldn't have her own horse yet but she was more than happy to help her brother with his massive horse Josie. She was so sweet and nice and gentle that it made taking care of the animal something she wanted to do even it was something so small as helping change the stall hay or feed bucket. "Yeah yeah! Can we please?!" she asked with a begging tone

Ariana watched as Hadrian folded like a house of carda and let his sister lead the way out though not before father & son shares a dark silent look in passing. "What was all that about?" she asked. She knew better than to demand answers with John or Hadrian.

"Remember how I told you my sister and her husband were murdered halloween 1981?" John asked after five minutes of silence. "How I searched and found our son in such a disgusting, deplorable state in 1987?"

Ariana nodded slowly.

John wordlessly summoned the letter so his wife could read it while explaining the same things he did to Hadrian. "My sister who turned her back on me for excelling at the bloody family business when we were so young..is not as dead as I had thought her to be. She suspects I might be able to help her find the son she left to rot. Our son is understandably very angry hence the yelling that brought you and our daughter in, Hadrian had just finished reading it & turning a picture of his blood parents plus sister into less than ash."

Ariana's went almost aligator-style reptilian with anger. She _IS NOT our sons_ mother" she hissed in anger.

"No, she isn't and I agree with that one hundred percent. You are his mother and you know he loves you. You know he is thankful for everything you've done for him and me but I promised him transparency before I met you Ariana. I promised our son nothing but truth and honesty between us when he was still calling me _Uncle John_" the older male Jonovich said squeezing his wifes arm firmly but gently to stress the point.

"I'll put a bullet in her skull and slit her belly open hip-to-hip so her entrails fall out Jonathan if she tries to lay claim to being our boys mother. I don't care if she's your sister and gave Hadrian life. Birthing a child does not make a parent. I was there when he was sick. I was there when he had a bad day and needed to vent. I am his confidante when it comes to certain things. Hadrian has one mother and that" Ariana reduced the letter violently into a ball of paper "is me."

John said nothing as Ariana walked out to where their kids were. He knew she was not kidding. He _knew _she was not the least bit adverse to getting her hands dirty to protoect her family, especially her children.

* * *

A/N: so its the end of another chapter and I'm happy with it. A bit of character developement, a peek into Hadrian's life where he actually has a full family that loves him and the beginning of drama. How are James and Lily alive? Who is the teen girl with him and is it ACTUALLY their daughter making her Hadrian's blood sister?!

Find out next time!


	4. Chapter 4

**_Si vis pacem, para bellum_**

Nearly every kid who entered the Estoeric Magic classroom was confused to see the board scrawled with this quote. They were fully aware that Professor Delilah Whiting had been a philosophical one when she delivered her lessons but the older woman retired at the end of last years academic calender. They were also fully aware of the Headmistress finding a fully qualified candidate to replace her but at the schools opening banquet, a rather decadent event most found a tad over the top, the man or woman had not been present with the other known staff members.

"Who can tell me the translation of the quote on the board?"

All the females in the room jumped out of their seats, heads turning sharply, at the male voice speaking behind them by the door as it slammed shut. He hadn't been there a moment ago. The guys eyed the figure warily noting it was a teen no older than themselves. He was rather unassuming looking with light tan skin, raven black hair he had tied back in a ponytail between his shoulderblades and dark rain forest green eyes peering out from behind reading glasses with a book in his right hand though the title was in a non-english language. His choice of attire, a white dress shirt with the top three buttons undone to show a white undershirt beneath while the sleeves were rolled up to his elbows and a loose silver tie around his neck contrasting black slacks, suggested he was not a normal student.

"If you want peace, prepare for war. Some translations go with 'seek peace' instead of 'want peace' but the spirit is same" a brunette girl said slowly.

"Excellent Ms.."

"Chase, Rebecca Chase."

The boy strolled toward the front of the classroom unperturbed by all eyes on him. Depositing his book on the professors desk he turned and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Before I go any further I might as well introduce myself. My name is Hadrian Jonovich but you and every other student who enters this classroom will call me Professor Jonovich. I do not tolerate disrepect or laziness nor do the very forces at work when you call upon the older arcane magics I will be teaching you about" he said making certain his gaze swept the entire room meeting the students eyes.

A boy in the front row scoffed. "Ssssuuurrreee and I'm the.."

Hadrian waved his hand conjuring a massively complex summoning circle purely out his magic in thin air. "That is a Grade Five Summoning Rite circle. I am the most dangerous person in the room because I have a mastery in Esoteric and Blood Magic, ask the Headmistress if you think me a liar. It was she who tested my candidacy and had to more or less beg me to take this post. You will show me the respect I deserve as a master of my craft or I will fail you for the year" he said icily.

The class went pin drop silent.

"Good, seems you all aren't as hopeless as I thought. Delilah said some of you were hopeless cases. I'll call roll quickly and then we'll have a discussion about the last thing you were taught. If I have to work with dull instruments I need to know hard to grind your heads on the whetstone."

***EIGHT HOURS LATER;END OF THE FIRST DAY***

Hadrian sighed dropping at last into his chair, his head falling to rest on the headreast. "I swear some of those kids are beyond daft and inept" he said to himself. While most of his day couldn't be skewed as 'bad' per se, he had _at least_ one kid per class challenge he was the new Esoteric Magic professor. It made for a headache to say the least and his official introduction at the dinner meal, another borrowed foundation from Hogwarts, the students who weren't in his Esoteric Magic class- Esoteric Magic was an elective like Runes or Blood Magic after all- gawked at him. The coversations flitting there was "a kid" teaching them had bothered him enough the very room froze as an application of Blood Magic froze all the students in place at their tables.

What followed after that was the Headmistress loudly proclaiming that he was not only qualified _but overqualified_ for the position with one of his two Masteries being in Esoteric Magic itself.

"Penny for your thoughts son?"

Hadrian looked up barely and saw the visage of his mother nearby, a tiny smile on her face. "Just thinking over the first day. It was a treasure trove of information really" he said non-commitally. "There's a few discrepancies I need to readjust their thinking on but the foundational base is built well. At least it is for the lower years anyways. Those who are going to be taking their pre-graduation tests… I can't fix their thinking in such a short timeframe."

Ariana frowned at that crossing her arms under her busty chest. "What kind of discrepancies are we talking about?'" she asked as her brow furrowed.

"Delilah didn't teach them the most basic lesson of all when it comes to Esoteric mages or witches. No matter a spells intended purpose, it is a weapon. An Esoteric mage or witch is not a regular everyday witch or mage, they are for are all intents and purposes a war witch or wizard on standby" Hadrian said leaning forward so dark green eyes met green-gold. "Too many were shocked by the slap in the face but they need to learn it sooner rather than later."

* * *

***HOGWARTS, OCTOBER 30TH***

Iris Potter was not having a particularly good day as she and the rest of the Hogwarts body was made to gather outside. For one, she was _actually enrolled_ as a student in the charter Fourth Year after showing she was capable using all but one fifth year spell silently despite her protests to continue her private tutoring. She **raged** at her parents that she was feeling dumber by the day since not only were the materials so out of date, she was not allowed to take Potter Library books for self study due to their stupid rarity and monetary value, and educational leadership was a joke! _'Who the sodding hell hires a bloody ghost to teach history?! For as long as Dumbledore has to boot! All Binns drones on about is the Goblin Rebllions!' _she fumed internally_. 'Not to mention hiring dad of all people to teach Defense! Him and Snape do more internal war feuding than actually teaching_!'

For another her father, in all his stupidity, had revealed to world at large that the many rumors her elder brother Harry being the last of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House of Potter to be a complete falsehood. By exstension of dispelling the rumors her father James had opened a new can of worms after declaring, quite publically she might add, that she was the one to have actually defeated Voldemort that night he attacked Godric's Hollow _not her brother_. If James could have foreseen the backlash coming the youngest Potter had every perfectly reasonable suspicion he wouldn't have made such declarations given the questions asked in the wake.

Where was Harry now? Why had he never been seen around the wizarding world? Why was it that no student could ever recall him ever setting foot in Hogwarts in the last three years despite being on the roster every year?

Her mother Lily had a field day with that. At least, she did when she wasn't starting to become a very clear alcoholic. For all her attempts to find her lost son Lily came up short every time. Even her brother John told her in a reply letter, after sending him one practically begging him to help, in no small worlds where to shove her apparent 'concern' for Harry's well being. The exact wording was far harsher judging by how heavily her mother hit the bottle that night through sorrow. Though she couldn't understand the context of the letter, it was written in a language Iris could not read after after all, she could pick out two phrases that chilled her to the core of her being; _Blood Traitor_ was the first and_ Disowned from The Collective by unanimous Tribal Elders vote_ was the other. She had no idea what the importance was but some part of her felt unbridled terror at the sight of the words.

"Look! In the sky!"

Iris was broken from her brooding and glanced up. She heard Dumbledore say something to the effect of it being the approaching Beauxbaton delegation as the giant horses and house on wheels touched down digging a trough into the dirt. Simply put, she did not care to pay attention. Her gut was wrenching and knotted like her instincts were screaming something bad was going to happen. The thinly robed french delegates went inside and that feeling only got worse.

Pandemonium struck in the form of thick black streaks of lightning striking the ground. Ten individual ones and one streak of lightning wide enough it may as well have been a muggle ICBM to be precise.

Coughing filled the air as Dumbledore's shield he'd erected died after the last of the debris fell to the ground harmlessly. "What in the name of Merlin-"

**_"WE HATE YOU PROFESSOR JONOVICH!"_**

James Potter and Albus Dumbledote went beynd pale.

In a star like formation, one within the other, ten students were coughing harshly into their jackets or sweatshirts. In a crater made by the other bolt of black lightning was the presumed group of Ilvermorny teachers and Headmaster. All eyes were on the singular teen among them though.

Dumbledore felt like he was staring at a young James Potter again. Same raven hair although this boys was longer and tamed, same light tan complexion and thin but athletic build.. "It can't be.."

Hadrian didn't correct his slouched posture right away as he dug out a flask, uncapped it and took a swig of the contents. It was a potion similar to a no-maj jet lag cure that would allow his students internal clocks to not be messed up by the six hour time difference. "You say that now but when it saves us an eight hour flight to Heathrow and having to rely on a country that births more mass murders or Dark Lords, I'm the lesser of two evils" he said with a slow drawl. Tossing the flask around, the flask itself had self cleaning runes on it, he gave the direction of a swallow to everyone. "One swig each of you, it'll keep your body from fucking you over with the plus six hour time lapse between here and back home."

Some of the Hogwarts kids gasped at the vulgarity.

"Language!" a bushy haired, slightly bucktoothed girl in Gryffindor shouted without consideration.

Hadrian turned his gaze slowly as the flask, now empty, was tossed back to him and pocketed. "Fuck. Off. Bucky. Beaver." The deliberate slowness of his words did not go un-noticed as kids withered under his intense borderline glaring visage. "Don't you have a forest to terrorize?" he asked with a flat tone. The fact the girl ran away crying did nothing to sway him.

"That was unnececary. I'm more than aware of the cultural divide between here and America but tearing down school children-"

"When your school children show respect to the youngest dual Mastery professor Ilvermorny, **_probably any school_**, has ever seen instead of running off the mouth at him like he is her slave it will be considered" the Ilvermorny Headmistress cut off glaring at Dumbledore. "Kids, line up!"

The teens, minus Hadrian, formed a colum two wide and followed the woman addressed at the Hogwarts deputy head. Quiet utterings were exchanged, mostly snobbish jabs about feeling like they were at the worlds largest King Arthur's Fair, while microseconds looks were shot back to the staff. Hadrian Jonovich was the lesser of two evils…

Dumbledore frowned deeply as his students filed into the castle with the Ilvermorny ones. "Just who are you? You can't be more than thirteen and for the head of your school to not only employ you as a professor but claim you have two separate Masteries.."

Hadrian looked boredly into the blue eyes while wishing he was old enough to smoke. It would pass the time so much quicker, give him something to focus on when not working or with family and his magic made the risk of cancer 0.000000001% even if he smoked a pack day in theory. "Names Jonovich. I teach Esoteric Magic" he said in a bland tone. "If I had the option I wouldn't be here but sixty percent of our contenders are my Esoteric students so I have to be here. Frankly" his leaning forward had the effect of ever so slightly correcting his slouched posture to more of a hunched over category "I'd rather we Yanks dropped a nuclear bomb on this Godless country after the evacuation on select peoples. Now, stop staring at me or I swear by the Unholy Trident your eyes will be gouged out very slowly and painfully with a plastic spork."

Nearly every member of the Hogwarts staff flinched back while the Ilvermorny staff sighed in exasperation. "You really have to rein it in Jonivch. You keep threatening people and they'll think you mad" one of the Ilvermorny teachers, a middle aged but still relatively attractive woman that taught the schools blood magic elective, said shaking her head.

"He is mad" all the other teachers, save for Hadrian himself, intoned as one when the lot of Hogwarts representatives led them to the castle.

"I resent that" Hadrian said indignantly.

"Oh please, you _resemble_ it."

James approached and, in a moment of stupidty like his announcements that birthed so many questions about the location of his son, grabbed the teen amongst the American teachers. This was his son, it had to be. He knew Lily's true maiden was Jonovich. He had been informed after the letter from her brother John, and through her sobs not to mention her drunken slurring, that she suspected their son was with rather he tried to grab the teen.

In the space it took for James to get in Hadrian's personal space the youth had his gun, the one fashioned specifically as a focus for his magic, drawn and aimed dead on at the mans chest forcing him into a dead stip. "Another step closer to my person or attempt to try manhandling me like some insolent child you didn't abandon like he was trash on the curb Lord Potter and I have no cares either way about pulling this trigger. Turning you into a gory paste of blood and visceral chunks of flesh won't cost mwe a wink of sleep" he said with a dark sneer on his lips.

James and Dumbledore shared a dark worried look. "I wanted to-"

"I don't care what you wanted." The cocking of the hammer clicked loudly, the barrel still pointed at James' chest. "You and your bitch wife left me to rot after Voldemort attacked Godric's Hollow. Left me to be discovered by someone and left wirh no-maj shit for brains who used and abused me worse than slave. All for what? So you could train your princess daughter? The one you so proudly claimed was the real vanquisher of Voldemort after telling the public you were still alive thirteen years after your suposed death?" Hadrian asked with a blackening gaze. "The Daily Prophet is a gossip rag from all I've read but I have to say one thing Rita Skeeter got right... You are no hero or Light Lord, you are a Dark Hearted Demon for your actions. You're lucky Petunia and Vernon didn't turn me into an Obscurial with all the abuse I suffered through that nearly killed me on more than a handful of times."

* * *

A/N: dun dun dun! James and Dumbledore have their first look at Hadrian in over a decade, Iris-Harrys younger sister- senses the coming danger but how much of that danger is she going to be able to attribute to her missing sibling & James tries to exert some perceived authority he thinks he still has over his son- just how bad are things going to get at Hogwarts?


	5. Chapter 5

Hadrian grimaced feeling the amont of stares on his person. The students from Hogwarts and Beauxbaton he could understand. Hell, he understood why the Beauxbaton staff was curious about him. The dark fascination and obsession that came out James Potter entire being made him want to murder the man in front of everyone. Especially his precious Dark Lord vanquishing daughter.

"Such brooding isn't becoming of the Prince of Ruska Roma."

Hadrian's head snapped to his right hearing the declaration. The person who spoke was a girl his age or just slightly younger if her looks were to go by. Her hair was a silvery shade of golden blonde that appeared almost white in the flicker of the torches and overhead candlelight & possessed eyes like sapphires dipped in mercury that seemed to know things that she shouldn't have the foggiest clue about. "You must have me confused with someone else" he said with a false calm, his eyes sharp.

**{I would say you were right if your aura was different. Your aura is too dark and calculative like your father the King, Jardani}** the girl said with a whimsical sort of amused smile.

People around the girl and the american teen shot them both, the girl more than the boy, a confused look. There was no way for them to know what had been said but it wasn't one of her made up creatures or a made up language judging by the hardness of the boys eyes. More than a few did scoff though at the girl calling the boy a prince. He was a bloody yank, an american born traitor of The Crown- he most certainly was not a prince. Not to mention whatever Ruska Roma was, they never heard of it so obviously it wasn't important.

**{You tread on very dangerous ground blondie} **Hadrian hissed in warning. He stood abruptly and, with all the subtlty of an execution squad firing on a condemned man, dragged the girl out of the dining hall as dessert appeared. Her whining complaints about her 'precious pudding' were ignored while the Hogwarts staff tried to demand he let the female go. The demands went unheeded as the doors to the hall slammed shut behind them and sealed together as one giant seamless piece of wood at his free hands gesture. **{****Speak now, speak fast}** he ordered sharply

The girl yanked her hand free and rubbed her wrist. "First of all my name is Luna Lovegood, not blondie" she said with a pout. "Honestly, I was expecting better manners from the next Ruska King. However" the glare the girl received was pointedly ignored "you are back in Britain for the first time since you were young and find yourself face-to-face with a family that left you for dead against infidels and blasphemers so I must admittedly give you a pass per the traditions."

Hadrian's eyes darkened at that. "Be clear or I swear your lifeblood will cease to be yours!" he growled in irritation.

"My lifeblood is not mine to begin with" Luna said nonplused by the threat. "I, not mention my bloodline, am protected by the Tribal Elders decisions. We are one of the last true _Seeing Bloods_ left within the Ruska."

Hadrian took a step back at that. She was a _Seeing Blood_(1)? That would explain how she knew his tribe status and apparent missing status in Britain since he was six. "What game do you play?" he asked slowly.

Luna's pout fled and became a tiny smile as she leaned forward breaking into Hadrian's personal bubble. **{****No game at all. The Sight is a gift and curse as you know. I merely used this as an introduction Hadrian Hakan Jonovich, Ruska Prince. Our paths are intertwined with one others but I cannot see her clearly nor do I know her name. What I do know, she is here at Hogwarts right now}** she said rocking back on the ball of her heel.

"How am I intertw-"

**{Do not ask silly questions you already suspect the answer to, dearest husband to be.}**

The seamless door into the hall finally burst into two separate doors where the Hogwarts staff, wands drawn, were met with the weirdest sight to date. Luna Lovegood, Ravenclaw outcast and resident all around odd child, was _kissing_ the teenaged Ilvermorny teacher.

* * *

"Do I want to know why the blonde girl was making out with you? Or why you dragged her out of the hall while dinner was still being served? If you want to make an international scene before the tournament-"

"Gypsy business. She revealed herself as one and said some things to me she should have no business knowing about my personal history given I've never met her before today. Not that I can consciously remember anyway. If I had met her before today it must've been after I was born but before my incubator and sperm donor let the world think they were dead while abandoning me to abusive no-maj while they raised their precious Girl-Who-Lived" Hadrian said with a harsh scowl.

The Ilvermorny Headmistress grimaced and said nothing for nearly five minutes. Upon Hadrian's hiring the young man had sat her down through a long, very long she would say was more accurate, conversation of things she needed to know about him. While not much had been expounded upon when Hadrian and his father John had said the young warlock had various 'Gypsy Business' he'd be attending while fulfilling his contractual obligations to teach Esoteric Magic to the students, she had been told and assured it would interfere as minimally as possible. "Fine, I won't ask what this gypsy business is about since I know you won't answer" she said slowly.

Hadrian let out a noncommittal snort as if he was agreeing with her.

"However" the womans womans grimace thinned out to a taut thin line "whatever this gypsy business is that led to her kissing you has to either end in the public sphere or be conducted away from prying eyes. By all legalities you are a legal adult wizard and she.. she is a minor child in the eyes of the law" the woman stressed with a hardness entering her gaze.

"I am not stupid Jordan" Hadrian said throwing himself back into a chair. The accomodations Dumbledore tried to provide for the Ilvermorny body was riddled with spying wards and eavesdropping charms that he'd been tempted to do something unscupulous to the old bastard. Instead, with the Headmistresses permission after disclosing the spells charms and wards to spy on them he discovered & threatening to gut Dumbledore in front of the ICW politically, he usurped her authority and kicked everyone out to the sprawling grounds. A complicated rune matrix etched itself into the ground with his hands pressed onto the earth. A few words and enough power to activate the matrix saw the ground breakdown, reconstruct into new material and build a small scale fortress. While the sleeping quarters were spartan, it was free of spells to monitor their comings, goings and conversation; the only extravagance was the confrence room where he and the Headmistress Jordan were sat alone. "Her revealing herself as a gypsy works in my favor to deal with Ms. Lovegood privately."

"I don't suppose this has to do with the fact that she's a blonde."

Hadrian scowled more closing his eyes. "I plead the muggle fifth. Its a million times better for your health too" was his only answer.

*RAVENCLAW DORMITORIES; SAME TIME*

From her perch on the windowsill overlooking the Black Lake Iris felt her stomach knot again seeing a miniaturized fortress come into existence from a magic circle alone. She figured part of the process was alchemy, a magic that by the loosest definition put it in the classification of extremely hard to learn esoteric or nearly forgotten magic, but her eyes saw there was more to it. All the ease the boy had with such advanced borderline 'Dark Magic', classed by the Wizengamot but that law was beaten by Dumbledore's voting block aided by the Grey Alliance for a price thus making the legal classification Restricted Magic, made her nervous. Her dad raged and ranted about her brother Harry threatening to kill him earlier and she had to refrain from saying anything. It wasn't her place to say anything despite James dragging her to the Headmasters office to vent. She had suspected the two men to be planning about asking her assistance, probably as a guilt trip or something, to make her lost brother fall into line. While her fathers motives were not good, wholly and purely without ulterior motive kind of good that is, she was not so sure about the Headmaster. His looks at Harry and way of speaking about him showed equal amounts of pain and regret but also caution.

"You aren't that stupid though, are you Iris Potter? You'd have been sorted into the lions pride if that was truly the case."

Iris' gaze turned slowly and caught sight of her enigmatic Housemate Luna Lovegood. She had more than a few questions for the blonde, a few more personal than others but exercised her sense of tact by not asking. "I don't know what you're talking about Luna" she said, her words carefully measured and spoken with a light tone. Despite her parents brashness to action, Iris was a very reluctant person when it came to just about any and all things of importance. Her opinion was sparingly given unless pried out with a dragon fang crowbar, her actions were planned out with every potential consequence she could imagine resulting from her action being considered beforehand; the Sorting Hat had wanted to put her in Slytherin for what it deemed paranoia. She knew better though and had to force the Hat to put her in Ravenclaw since it was the other alternative and the only one where her dad wouldn't blow a gasket.

"You've been watching the Ilvermorny delegation. None of the students are particularly interesting and while I give merit to their teaching staffs Mastery of their fields, you are interested in the one named Hadrian Jonovich." Luna strolled over to the windowsill peering out at the castle on the grounds. "By all paper accounts he is your blood-kin. By all accounts that actually matter, you are nothing to him and never will be" she said folding her arms behind her back. "You are not a raised gypsy so he wouldn't care if you were bleeding to death in front of him. Even if you abandoned the cushy lifestyle afforded by your father and devoted the rest of your life to the way of the tribes it wouldn't matter since you were not raised as he was. By the time you would be considered barely acceptable to not have a shadow following you everywhere he would already be ascended and have far more pressing matters to attend. Not that he doesn't already because he certainly does and I don't just mean being a professor at Ilvermorny teaching esoteric magic."

Iris blinked at the morbid declaration. "If he cares about gypsies only he has more problems than I do" she said shifting her gaze from Luna back to the castle where the Americans were.

"Oh no, you have a thousand times more problems than he does. His biggest problem is who does he have to pay to get rid of a corpse and how much it will cost him. Your biggest problems include not becoming a corpse and if you survive that then your biggest problem becomes who your father sells you off to become a bride of" Luna said with a disinterested tone. "House Potters fortune is massively smaller than it was pre-war. Don't ask me how I know this because I won't say. Technically, its not a matter of won't but can't." Her eyes lifted to the sky smiling faintly spotting the crescent hanging in the sky. "Your fathers ill advised claiming it was you who vanquished the Dark Lord and not Harry has undoubtedly switched all desires of vengeance from 'innocent Imperioused' Death Eaters transfer from your brother to you."

Iris paled as that thought swirled around her head for a minute. She hadn't considered that! She knew it didn't do her, nor her parents, many favors but failing to account for Voldemorts followers who escaped being sentenced to Azkaban and sworn vengeance for their master was as good as a standing Kiss On Sight order on her back! All thanks to her idiot dad!

"I see the gravity of it all has hit you." Luna closed one eye, the color glazing over a foggy white for a minute. "Learn your roots maternal heritage and it may save you. You will never be anything within but it may be the crux of your salvation" she said turning on heel. **{Do not make the mistake and ignore my warning.}** With her piece said, not to mention Iris being concerned about the implications, Luna retreated to her one person dorm- a special permission granted to her after her father threatened to sue Hogwarts and its Board of Governors after she made a case of her Housemate unrepentant thievery & other unsavory actions against person time and again- humming a rather haunting melody that chilled the air around her.

* * *

*OCTOBER 31st, GENERAL POV*

There was a buzz in the air as the many tournament champion hopefuls submitted their names into the Goblet of Fire. What surprised some, and a lot less for those who were aware of how men like Igor Karkaroff operated, was that seemingly Victor Krum was the only Durmstrang student to enter. Those who were fans of the Bulgarian seeker applauded loudly, not that they hadn't for the other hopefuls, despite the young man's stoic visage.

"Disgraceful" Hadrian muttered around the lip of the coffee mug in his hands. He didn't see a point in hiding his disdain for what amounted to favoritism or threatened circumstance as it was clear to him Igor would employ such behaviors he used during his Death Eater days.

Jordan shook her head with a scoff. "Agreed, only one of them has the stones to enter as a champion hopeful? I doubt it. Igor is deliberately ensuring Victor is the only entrant to abuse Krum's already large cloud of fame to promote himself and Durmstrang" she said skewering a piece of sausage on her fork.

"Let's go with that." Hadrian had another reason for his comment but he wasn't about to explain it.

**{Now now, just because they are lacking honor and discipline does not mean we should stoop to their levels of depraved reason}** Luna chirped from beside Hadrian as she made her plate of breakfast foods.

The ten entrants for Ilvermorny raised an eyebrow seeing their hardass professor not make so much as a muscle twitch at the blonde girl invading his bubble of personal space. It was a rule among the Ilvermorny student body that you did not invade the three feet bubble around Hadrian Jonovich but this little slip of a girl was practically pressed against him. Pressed against him and chirping happily in Russian. This girl either was more than she appeared or she was the sort of masochistic that liked to end up in a medical ward. Given she was not dead or being carted off to whatever medieval medical facility this castle had, the consensus was this girl was special for whatever reason.

"Mr. Jonovich, I must request-"

"Shove it Gandalf the Gay" Hadrian said with an icy stare aimed at the half-moon spectacled form of the Hogwarts Headmaster. "I am not your student and if you keep trying to use a wandless compulsion to force me to do whatever you want I'm going to take _both your wands_, break them and shove all four pieces up your ass." His grip tightened on the mug.

Jordan glared darkly at the bespectacled Dumbledore. "Leave before I decide to make this a case of you causing an international incident" she ordered. "You may be revered as a second coming of Merlin or Jesus in this backwater stagnant magical country but the world receives you far less kindly. Using magic to forcefully compel another to do as you wish _during_ an international tournament to foster friendship and goodwill…"

"Second coming of Grindelwald and Voldemort a la Dumbledore" Luna said causing those who could hear her to either gasp or lose grip of their eating utensils in shock. "After all, if rumors are to be believed it wouldn't be the first time you've been the perpetrator of such vile acts. You were complicit in the illegal incarceration of a Most Ancient and Most Noble House Lord without a trial for thirteen years. I imagine Sirius Black would still be imprisoned in Azkaban as the betrayer of the Potter family if James, Lily and Iris Potter hadn't come out to say they were alive. Imprisoned at best or dead at worst and the entirety of House Blacks fortune being left to Death Eaters and their spawn like Lucius & Draco Malfoy."

Hadrian turned his head just slightly at that. By all accounts Sirius' fate was purported to be unknown within the boundaries of the United Kingdom; that is to say that no one knows if he was still alive or inside British borders. After his escape Sirius had somehow been able to find him in New York and with a lot of persuasion, forceful persuasion on Hadrian's part, decided not to leave the US. Of course, John and a dozen men surrounding the man with guns drawn ready to turn him into swiss cheese was another part to causing the crazed man to hesitate long enough for a then younger Hadrian to slip back to his mother. "I heard he was still a wanted murderer and betrayer by the British Ministry of Magic despite Lord Potter putting forth the Secret Keeper was a man by the name of Peter Pettigrew and the Headmaster knew that being he was the one to put the Fidelius Charm in the presence of the Potters, Sirius himself and a man named Remus Lupin.'

Dumbledore cleared his throat slightly at the number of eyes on him waiting for his answer. "You are mistaken I was not trying to use a compulsion charm Mr. Jonovich, it was merely a calming spell. Given last nights events and the way you've been giving near everyone the.. Oh, what the muggle term I'm looking for… Oh yes, the evil eye I thought it prudent. You see, your parents-"

"My parents are back in Texas. My family is Texas. James Potter is a sperm donor. Lily Potter is no more than an egg donor and a cowardice traitor against her own birth tribe. The both of them could be killed in front of me and I wouldn't shed a tear of sorrow. Dance a jig on their graves maybe since it'd be the appropriate comeuppance for letting the world think them dead, letting me be raised by abusive muggles and nearly become an Obscurial but care for them? About what they think of me? I'd sooner put a bullet in my own skull" Hadrian said glaring at the ancient man.

"I never said I approved of their actions. I was just as disgusted when they revealed themselves and your sister Iris to be alive. As for the matter of Sirius, I may have cast the fidelius but it was when they still had Sirius as the Secret Keeper. I had no knowledge they switched the Secret Keeper to Peter Pettigrew til after they appeared in my office before the school year began & explained everything to me. I am more than willing to swear a magical vow to it" Dumbledore said with a stony faced visage.

"And I'm bored with you. Magical vows are pointless because depending on the wording it allows for lies, half-truths and loopholes to let the swearee be as vague as they wish to be. Unless you have news that needs to be told to Headmistress Jordan and myself as representatives of Ilvermorny & the MACUSA, I'd suggest leaving. Oh and one last thing,_ I don't have a sister named Iris_."

The entirety of the hall was silent as the grave while Albuse Dumbledore trudged up to the head table with a grimace. No one seemed to notice the pain, heartbreak and sadness shine in the eyes of Iris Potter down at the end of the table.

No one but Luna Lovegood that is.

* * *

"Now you get why I said this place is a fucking nightmare to deal with" Hadrian said crossly as he glared at the casket where the goblet was resting in. Dumbledolt, as he had begun to mentally call the old man within the last few hours, had been giving some grandiose speech but for the life of him he wasn't paying attention. Quite frankly, he was in too foul a mood to pay attention to drivel about international camraderie, friendship and whatever else the old bat was going on about. Just what could have gotten under his skin?

James freaking Potter.

The man had the nerve to try to manhandle him again and against his better judgement he shot the man. Oh it wasn't fatal but the magical projectile decimated the man's knee turning it to dust and completely obliterating the magical nerve to a point it was beyond repair by any means. Though the idiot didn't it yet, he would be crippled with a limp in his right leg for the remainder of his life absolutely no magic would be able to heal. He had warned the man to leave him be but would he listen? No, he would not.

"I do but did you have to shoot him? The fact of the matter that he made the first move means no one can convict you but-"

"But nothing. The little boy is lucky I didn't kill him like I said I would last night after we arrived" Hadrian said cutting off Jordan making the woman sigh. She was made aware how abrasive he could be when she hired him. She shouldn't be surprised at this point after seeing how demanding he was in his class when it came to grading and practical work. "I should've followed through instead of shooting him in the knee."

Up at the head table Severus Snape couldn't help sparing a curious glance toward the American teen seated at the Ravenclaw table. Albus and Potter identified him as the missing son but the greasy haired potions master had doubts. His disposition was dark and borderline sinister compared to the elder Potter male, the daughter Iris and Lily herself though his opinion of her was scraping the bottom of the cauldron these days after all he learned through the exclusive interview James Potter did with The Daily Prophet. The fact the boy possessed dual Masteries in what the British Ministry of Magic classed as 'Dark Forbidden' magics intrigued him. For a boy as young as fourteen to master the theory and practical sides of two magics that require such hands on control, particularly Blood Magic, spoke volumes to his academic prowess.

"Ah, it seems the Goblet is almost ready to choose." Dumbledore's eyes tracked the flames as they went from blue to red and spit out a piece of parchment. Catching the folded piece he blew off the edges and pulled it open. "The Hogwarts Champion is Cedric Diggory!"

The Hufflepuff table roared with approval as a rather attractive young man stood. Some girls whistled in appreciation while lighter shows of approval filled in from everyone but Slytherin. Cedric gave a final smirk and a wink that caused more than a fair share of girls to blush before he left to the antechamber Dumbledore motioned toward.

A second parchment spat out of the goblet before being caught. "The Beauxbatons Champion is Fleur Delacour!"

While nearly every male, not to mention a few girls, roared with approval as a tall silvery blonde french girl stood Hadrian scoffed. It was the elbow in his ribs drew a glare aimed at Luna.

"You don't know her so you have no room to cast judgement for what she is" Luna said with a pointed look.

"Yeah because I'm really scared of a Victoria's Secret lingerie angel wannabe" Hadrian said with a sarcastic scoff and eyeroll. **{Li****ke I care that she has creature blood. She becomes an issue, she dies the same as everyone else. I don't care if she's a Veela, a stripper or the daughter of a government official. You know how the tribe works and thinks when people make themselves an issue for us} **he said harshly.

Luna sighed shaking her head. "Well she is a government officials daughter. The eldest daughter of the French Minister of Magic to be precise" she said.

"Doesn't matter. The laws are absolute and immutable" Hadrian retorted.

"By the same logic, James Potter should be dead already then" Luna challenged.

"He would be but I'm not going to murder a man in front of impressionable eleven year olds. I don't have a lot of scruples but murdering a person in front of a kid and scarring them for life is one of them I won't cross. Hence why I maimed him."

Dumbledore frowned as the third piece of parchment fluttered down into his hands. "The Ilvermorny Champion is Joanna Michaels!"

The Ilvermorny girl, a fairly attractive brunette with greenish-grey eyes, stood and offered a rather theatrical bow. A couple of the ones who didn't get chosen booed good naturedly but smiled at her. "Oh kiss my ass" she said with a wink to them saying silently she appreciated the support as she made her way to the antechamber where the others awaited.

"With our three Champions selected there is only one last bit of news to be shared. In light of tournaments past, there have been a few changes to the tournament. Instead of three tasks there will four, each one spaced out throughout the scholastic year" Dumbledore said. "In addition, for everyone else there will be other tournaments for those want to try. These will range from academia to sports and even a cooking one for those with the inclination."

Conversations erupted at that. Most speculated the tournament would be the only entertainment and non-champions relegated to just watching the tasks between their academic classes. This though, smaller tournaments anyone could sign up for, was rather fair since it would allow a showcase of each schools individuals which would be a showing of how well each school taught as a whole.

"Look! The Goblet!"

Eyes snapped over as two pieces of parchment shot out like a rocket before they landed in Dumbledore's hands. The first read Лунная Лиса(Lunnaya Lisa) which made the wizened old wizards brow furrow. "Just a moment everyone, something is just a tad amiss but under control" he said to reassure the suspicious students. Retreating to the head table he showed the parchment slip to the ministry reps and the other school heads. "Can anyone read this? It's clearly not english."

Madame Maxime declared she couldn't read it either.

Igor lost a touch of color in his face. "It's written in Russian" he said feeling like Death was taking a stroll across his spine. "The closest translation in english is Lunar Fox or Moon Fox."

Dumbledore grimaced at that and didn't quite know what to make of what the Bulgarian had said. "Are we talking about a person or an animal Igor? For the Goblet to spit out a parchment this Lunar Fox must be a person" he said slowly.

"He is a person. A rather fierce and dangerous person descended of a rather famous Animagi clan born out Japan. You might know of them, the Sulong Clan." Igor shivered feeling eyes on him. "The name he uses is not that one though, that is a moniker more or less."

"Who eez it zen? We don't 'ave all zay!"

Igor pointed to the Ravenclaw where Hadrian was half buried in a binder making revision notes to his lesson plan. "Jonovich. He is a terror of an animagi when pushed though I can speak plainly for a fact we can all rule out he did not do this himself. His very being screams about his loathing of being in this country. Expending the effort to confound the goblet would be child's play for someone like him with an esoteric magic mastery. It wouldn't challenge him and if half the rumors are true he'll wipe himself with a thousand galleons and flush it afterwards."

The Hogwarts staff minus Albus shared a look. "There's no way he's an animagus at fourteen" James Potter said shifting in his seat to conceal his weakness for the moment. Even after Poppy managed to regrow _**ALL**_ the bones in his leg with modified skelegrow, it had been necessary, no one could explain the limp he now had after the second time he tried to be forceful with his only son. "Not a proficient enough one to warrant being called a terror."

"You really should be more careful about what you say Potter."

Eyes darted over finding Hadrian scant inches behind Dumbledore peering at the parchment.

"Yo-"

"I can read lips, number one. Number two, you and your flunky friends were animagi at sixteen when Lupin became your pet werewolf you lot had the terrible choice to nickname Moony. I mean really, if you wanted to broadcast to the entire British Magical World you had a beast with a bounty on its hide as your friend you should've called a spade a spade and called him Lycanon" Hadrian said not even glancing at the crippled man. His hand snatched the parchment in Dumbledore's hand and carefully examined it. "I applaud the effort of whomever did this but their plan fails."

"This not a matter to be taken lightly Mr. Jonovich" Dumbledore said frowning deeply.

"Actually it is. The Death Eater is right that Lunnaya Lisa, Lunar Fox is the correct translation, is only a moniker for my animagus form and not a legal name recognized for me by muggles or magic. The laws of the Tri-Wizard Tournament are resolutely bound to a person's legal name accepted and honored by means of magical or mundane government." Hadrian's eyes shot to James and gleamed with an edge that made the boy pretending to be a man flinch back in his seat. "The fact it is known outside of my mothers clan is a tad irksome though. Only someone who was present for the Saint Petersburg massacre last year would have heard it said and that was only once when we finished with handling the threat and were doing a headcount to make sure no one was dead."

Everyone but Igor shared a look. "Saint Petersburg massacre?" Dumbledore asked voicing their shared thought.

"Beltane last year, a Roman Legion size gathering of Death Eaters attacked the celebration. My clan and I were guests of honor to attend the ritual so when black robed, skull masked assholes and bitches crash the party we got pissed. My mother stayed behind with the Den Mothers to protect the women and young children while everyone else went on the attack aided by the men who were just as pissed off. It was a slaughter to say the least. We killed everyone of those bastards, every man woman and child wearing the mask & bearing the mark. I took thirteen of them down on my own" Hadrian said with a dark satisfied smile. "The crunch of bone under my paws, the blood in my mouth as they pleaded for their lives.. It was music to my ears as my fur ran crimson with their lifeblood. We did have some losses, not to the clan but the men who attended with their families. Their bodies were cremated and their ashes returned to their families in warriors urns, the highest honor a warrior in my clan can earn for their ultimate sacrifice."

James looked beyond repulsed at Hadrian's admitting to enjoying murdering Death Eaters.

"But I digress, this" Hadrian burned the parchment to nothing "is a poor attempt at revenge. Now whose name is on the other parchment?" he asked curiously.

Dumbledore was equally disturbed at the information and filed it away for independent confirmation. If such an event did happen last year and he didn't know then what other movements had he missed of Voldemort's return to power? "It would seem to be.." he opened the second parchment to blanch "Iris Potter."

Hadrian actually barked out in laughter that edged on cruel and unusual in tone. It drew the eyes of everyone in the hall making the whispered conversations grow. "I thought coming here was going to be bad considering the incompetent retards I'd have to be around but this, this makes it worth while." Turning his head to the Ravenclaw he smiled a sharp-toothed smile looking directly at Iris. "Potter, get your skinny ass up here! Your name came out of the goblet so you gotta compete. Have fun with someone plotting to kill you!" he said with a tone that left little room for interpretation of how he felt.

"Mr. Jonovich! That is your sister! Surely you-"

The aura around Hadrian darkened as he glared at Dumbledore. "I recognize one man as my father. I recognize one woman as my mother. I recognize one girl as my sister. The first two are by blood magic" he said with a sneer as the British idiots recoiled. "I bled out the pitiful excuses and was blood adopted to be the legal heir and biological son of Jardani and Arianna Jonovich because one Petunia Dursley nee Evans liked to croon her sister Lily was a two-faced, no good, cowardice ridden drunkard of a whore & her husband was a freak demon with no respect for normal people. That he lorded his wealth over them like a lifeline no one could reach even if they were in dire life or death need. Then my uncle John saved me, gave me a home where I wasn't beaten and abused like a slave or starved for weeks on end because of something I had no hand in doing. I was given a mother figure who loved me without reservation. They married and asked if I wanted to be their son in all ways, I jumped on the chance since I'd already been thinking of them in such terms privately. I was blessed with a little sister who is more protected than anyone in this room, even me. The only family I have" his sneer curled more unforgivingly "could massacre every living person in this castle and I would walk out of here the only survivor untouched. Call that..boy my father, Iris Potter my sister or Liliana Potter nee no name my mother and I have no problems with tearing that tongue out of your head for the grave insult you just cast!'

There was dead silence as Hadrian stormed out of the Great Hall, the dangerous sparks of magic coming off his person shattering the illusion on the halls ceiling leaving the actual stone ceiling visible for the first time in only the school ghosts know how long. A keen observer might spot the minute trembling in her hand or the beading of an unshed tear in Iris Potter's eyes as she shakily approached the podium and head table where all the officials eyes turned to her.

"Dead woman walking" a blonde haired Slytherin girl said frowning to herself. While she had no love for the House of Potter or their 'Light' minded ideology, she did feel bad for Iris. A brother she potentially never knew existed before James Potter blew their continued existence wide open to the world hated her family and apparently could care less about if she was part of a tournament that killed many of its competitors in the past. Blue eyes looked to her left where her own younger sister sat in conversation with a fellow Second Year about a potions essay and pulled her close hugging her tightly. Family was about love and support even if you got under each others skin.

The girl was caught off guard at the sudden hug and looked to her elder sister who was staring sightlessly at Iris Potter as she got the third degree about her being entered as a champion. She was a smart girl and had paid enough attention to know what brought on the display from her sister. "I know Daphne" she said softly as she hugged her sister back with one arm.

The older blonde addressed as Daphne kissed the top of her sisters head gently. "That will never happen to us Astoria.. I promise you Tori" she whispered softly. Her younger sister got under her skin sometimes and they occasionally fought like newborn cerberus puppies but the thought of ever being able to be that.. That cruel or heartless to Astoria was not even imaginable in her darkest nightmare.

Astoria nodded softly and brought her other arm to circle Daphne's waist squeezing as she nuzzled against the elder girl. "I love you" she whispered softly enough only her sister would hear.

Daphne's grip increased a little more possessively and protectively around Astoria in response. Some people looked down on how close the two sisters were but the elder Greengrass sister didn't care, especially not after the show of confrontation the whole hall was treated to. She was the good elder sibling type and she'd move Heaven & Earth to ensure Astoria's safety or happiness if need be but… She shook herself mentally and let Astoria go but kept her sisters hand not occupied by a quill grasped in her own gently. Deciding to let others draw their own conclusions her fingers laced with Astoria's and squeezed gently.

Astoria smiled softly and squeezed back as she kept working on her essay. It was a little needy and clingy like a new significant other might do but she was ok with it. Daphne wasn't just her older sister, she was her best friend and practically a second mom to her since she basically raised her in their parents many absences to go to important functions. She didn't fault their parents since it was a necessary evil for their family's position so Daphne's overprotectiveness and loving displays like the one just performed made her love her sister a little more each time. Raising their clasped hands she kissed the back of her sisters hand lightly before freeing it for just a moment to cast a quick-dry charm on her parchment and tuck it away in her bag with her sealed ink well and wiped clean eagle feather quill. Standing she left the hall with Daphne heading for the Slytherin common room, hands clasped together and interlaced. Her sister wasn't one for public affectionate displays at Hogwarts so for her to do so meant the scene had shaken her. No matter, a bit of time alone and she was certain her elder sibling would be right as rain once again.

* * *

A/N: So the champions are picked, James continues to press his luck and a bit of Hadrian's suffering is deliberately put out to make people question how "good" and "light" the Potters are for letting him suffer so long as they did. The fluffy little bit at the end with Daphne and Astoria isn't pointless fluff for sake of pointless fluff. Some people want Daphne as the second girl next to Harry and Luna but I haven't decided who the third to their little menage et trois will be yet. The fluff between Daphne and Astoria is meant to be a stark contrast between what the blow up about Hadrian's feelings for the Potter's, specifically Iris, revealed and how things ideally should have been if James hadn't fucked things to Holy Hell.

(1)Seeing Bloods are essentially Seers but operate in a very different way. How that is will be highlighted next chapter as Iris prepares for the First Task.

Oh and before people even say it, Hadrian said that his family lived in Texas instead of New York because the ranch the family lives on is under a modified fidelius charm so even though a letter can find its way to a specific recipient- ie Lily to John- only John Hadrian Arianna Julia and John's generals plus the High Table members under his command know where it REALLY is. He's not about to let the cat out of the bag and invite chaos to his home, especially not with Julia being so young.


	6. Here be dragons!

From his position atop the arena Hadrian looked down on the crowd wth a rather bored expression on his face. His nine students not chosen were mixed in somewhere but he really couldn't be arsed to look closely enough to find them.

"My Prince, I speak on behalf of myself and my sisters when I ask what reason you asked us to be here. As much as we love our respective tribes, this is a country that would see us all dead burning on a fiendfyre pyre."

One of Hadrian's eyes swept left and right looking at the seven cloaked figures. The visible under armor was identical, it was baslisk scale in origin, while the silver cloaks hid the facial features of the seven women. "It is my requesst and that should be more than reason enough for the Bladed Queens to heed the call. That is unless you have a quarrel with my judgement" he said with a tight tone that suggested the original speaker should hold their tongue.

"I believe what our sister means means My Prince is what specifically made you request us? You are a capable gypsy in your own right when it comes to our magics and deadlier still considering your extra training. For you to request us as security is telling that you must have felt a worrisome enough threat in the air" one of the other female figures said, her head tilting enough for strands of white hair to become visible beyond the charm hiding her face.

"Do you girls remember the massacre last year?" Hadrian asked drawing a chocolate wand from his pants pocket.

"That's understating how vivid the memory is" another female figure said. "You crushed a man's ribcage under your paws and ripped out his still beating with your teeth."

"Ah yes, that was actually quite fun. I digress though, you remember the taint associated with a Death Eaters magic after they've taken the Dark Mark?" Hadrian asked rhetorically as he tore off the plastic around the chocolate treat knowing the seven women were silently bobbing their heads in agreement and waiting for him to continue the explanation. "That foul taint in the air here. As far I can count there are two confirmed with what I suspect" he sounded half on the fence at the word suspect "is a third. What's throwing me off is the third is coming from an unidentifiable source. Its coming from that section" he pointed to where the red and gold trimmed Gryffindor students were "and that's all I know. It's rightfully so pissing me the hell off and the Bladed Queens are the Ruska's best sensors."

Seven shadowed heads turned and conversed before they all dropped their hoods. Their looks were similar to a degree, they shared a regal look with aristocratically scuplted cheek bones and dark amethyst eyes, until you got to their hair. Despite being done in the exact same way, a long ponytail that was braided on the lower half and tied off with a silk bow, their hair colors were radically different. From left to right there was a blonde, a brunette, a redhead-like raging inferno red-, a silvernette, a raven headed, a white hued and being the one to stand out the most a green hued-dark forest green- young ladies no older than twenty. They made for quite a sight by themselves. They were knockout gorgeous individually but as a group they were beyond stunning.

"Oh get over the internal checking yourselves out. You're all Old Coven Sirens, of course you're hot. Now go, find the source. I have a reward waiting for the one who brings it to me alive or dead. Preferably alive" Hadrian said rolling his eyes. "Not you Anya, you stay with me."

The white haired young woman blinked at that. "Did I do something to displease you My Prince?" she asked while her sisters disappeared into the crowds below.

"Nothing of the sort. Come, sit with me" Hadrian said motioning the young woman to sit beside him. "My mother and father want me to err on the side of caution since I sent for you and the others. Your company is pleasant and I can talk Blood Magic with you without having to dumb it down like I have to do with the others."

Anya nodded her head and sat on the stone accepting the explanation. "Your mother and father are wise to ask you to err on the side of caution. Forgive me if I overstep myself but despite your well of knowledge, there are older and far more experienced mages out there My Prince. Possesing kowledge and knowing how to apply it is half the battle. Experience in using it is the other half" she said kicking her feet against the stone.

"You aren't overstepping or telling me something I don't already know Anya" Hadrian said breaking off a piece of the chocolate wand, perhaps a third of the length, before offering it to the white haired Siren. Of all the seven siren sisters he was perhaps most fond of Anya. She was just really mellow in nature, easy to talk to when he needed an outside perspective and rarely got upset over anything. His mother liked to tease that he had a crush on the Winter Queen, a title earned for her snow white hair and ruthless blizzard-esque style of combat when she drew her sword to fight, but that was far from the truth of it all. Anya was a dear friend and sometimes advisor when he couldn't see the forest through the trees. "Mm, dark chocolate" he hummed appreciately after taking a bite.

Anya turned her gaze and laughed softly taking the offered sweet. "You know, a girl might take a situation like this to be something else than what you said it to be" she teased with a sly smirk as she bit off a piece of the 'wand'.

"And risk pissing off your fiancé? I am a lot of things but suicidal is not one of them" Hadrian said feigning a scared shiver before being unable to help himself and snorted at the thought. "I'll never say this around your sister queens and you know I'll deny it if anyone ever found out but you're on the same level as Julia is."

Anya blinked at that statement in shock. "Come again? I don't think I heard you right. Or maybe I'm having a fever dream" she said carefully setting the chocolate wand down between them.

"Anya, you know I respect you and your sister queens. Not just as a collective council for the Siren Covens but individually as well. You are all expert level witches in your own fields making your advice invaluable to not just me but all who seek it. But personally speaking, you are the most relatable in my opinion. Level-headed under duress, naturallly mellow and calm by nature, funny.. It's calming to be around you. Truth be told you're essentially a younger version of my mother and what I can only hope Julia will become like when she gets older." Hadrian briefly closed his eyes as the first champion managed to retrieve his egg and get back to safety with only a few burns to show for it.

"So you view me, privately speaking of course, as.. What?" Anya asked.

"Friend, personal advisor when I need it, possible elder sibling figure? Maybe a mix of all three" Hadrian said shrugging. "Does it matter really? Most people are out here" he carved a circle into the stone between them with magic "while I am here." He carved an x in the exact middle of the circle. "My trainers and business acquaintances are here" he carved another circle inside the original "while my small circle of people I will turn to for advice without reservation-this is made up of you, my parents and my hand chosen soldiers- is right here." He carved a final circle in the second one but it practically connected at the edges of the x used to represent himself.

Anya was floored he thought that highly of her. "I.. I don't know what to say… I'm honored you trust me that implicity."

"Well don't say anything if you could be so kind. We both have reputations to protect and airs that have to be maintained, you know tradition and all."

Feeling a little bold Anya leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Hadrian's cheek while ruffling his hair. "Well I guess I have to save all my possible older sister teasing for private occassions then" she said cracking a smirk.

All Hadrian did in "retaliation" for it was a half hearted shove and mutter something along the lines of 'half baked women..' under his breath. It earned him a punch to the shoulder and a glare before they both chuckled letting the familiar calm settle over them.

* * *

Iris was a mess of nerves as she saw the other champions return with an array of injuries from dragon fire burns to what looked like claw shaped gouge marks deep in their flesh. She was going to die out there and she knew it. No matter what she had researched after Hagrid deigned to tell, or rather show her, what the task was no good idea presented in the hell do you get past an angry nesting mother dragon, steal from its nest which will only enrage it further and escape alive?!

Cedric looked at the nervous fourteen year old and felt bad for her as Poppy fretted over his burned arm. Iris wasn't a bad girl per se, a little high strung and princessy about how out of date all the Hogwarts books were, but seeing her pace like a caged animal was hard. The kid was scared out of her wits and as much as he wanted to offer a simpe solution to help her survive, he couldn't. Not without incurring a magical penalty in the remaining tasks ahead. Getting an idea he whipped out a parchment and scribbled the idea temporarily after tranfiguring a cloth into a quill & inked it with a tiny amount of blood clinging to his injured arm.

Iris stopped her pacing as something pinged the back of her head. Turning to track what hit her she saw a balled up parchment on the gound. Picking it up she unrolled it seeing a few words like transfigure distraction, fly & pray to Merlin and Morgana you live to see another sunrise. Her eyes cast around to see who threw it but no one said a word or even seemed to be paying her mind. Deciding to go with whoever gave her the idea she gulpedd as the canon went off signalling her turn to enter the arena.

Dead silence met her meek steps into view. The Hungarian Horntail was by far the largest of the dragons, not to mention the most deadly. Her research revealed that not only did she have to contend with gnashing dagger-like teeth, claws and fire breath but also a tail adorned with sharp spine-like protusions that essentially turned into a spiny mace or club that was poisonous to wizards and witches for reasons that was way too technical for her to understand. The warning growl made her gulp as she cast a the summoning spell, something a Ravenclaw Prefect helped her perfect in exchange for help in the form of quidditch training tips, and jumped out of the way of a fire stream.

Her attempt to reason with the dragon in parseltongue, dragons were serpentine and parseltongue was the language of sepents so dragons should understsnd it in theory, was met with a rather angry roar & more streams of fire. For ten minutes she transfigured rudimentary constructs of stone to take the heat while she ran for her life. At last she saw it flying her way, her only hopeful way to get out of this unharmed. Snatching the Nimbus 2000 with one hand and jumping on she shot into the sky dodging enraged claws that would've undoubtedly skewered her.

The crowd gasped watching the girl rise in an upward spiral. While most had seen Iris fly around the school to cool off from irritation, this was certainly the first time they saw she actually had some real skill. People on the RavenclawHouse Team in particular were already scheming about how to get her on the team to take the Quidditch Cup from Slytherin come next years quidditch season.

* * *

Hadrian raised an eyebrow as Iris shot past him and Anya on her broom. She had struck him as a princessy bookworm type but between the scared and nervous anxiety shining he saw something in her eyes that made his eyebrow raise up near his hairline, steely determination. "What does that girl hope to prove?" he asked rhetorically.

"Perhaps she wants to prove to you she is worth something. The people that gave you life deserve nothing but condemnation and contempt but she is a victim of their choices. Your condemnation of her not being a sister could have lit a fire under her ass" Anya said with a lazy shrug like she could care less

"I only have one, maybe two sisters. Sharing blood of life givers does not make for family" Hadrian scoffed. "Why do you think I jumped ship at the chance to be blood adopted after dad and mom got married? If you die for heroics, which was foolish for me to believe back then I'll admit, I'd rather die. Heroes die for the dumbest things like morals or values. Killers, thieves and those of our mindsets tend to live a lot longer for obvious reasons."

"We do not trust or believe easily and those we do give more than a sparing glance have to stick their neck out far to prove themselves" Anya said glancing for a moment to Hadrian.

All the young man did was incline his head the barest degree as if to agree.

"All due respect little brother" Anya's eye gleamed a little in the light "what if she does prove she is not worth your scorn?"

Hadrian's brow furrowed at the question. "I'll skin that cat if or when it happens to cross my path" he said as his eyes tracked the path of Iris and her flight path. Inside his head he had to admit her broom riding skills were decent.

Anya said nothing in response as she focused on Iris' trial. For one so smart Hadrian was a stubborn git when he wanted to be. Her head tilted this way and that following the harrowing maneuvors that barely put her out of range of angry streams of dragon fire. "I have to commend her abillity on a broom. Not many have the.. moxie to try outflying a dragon" said idly.

"Its not moxie but foolishness. The only reason she isn't already ashes scattered over the crowd is the magical chain on the Horntail" Hadrian said rolling his eyes. "She is not as dimwitted as she seems though. The maneuvors are risky but working." His eyes followed the divebomb drop Iris took afted managing to trap the dragon in a tangle of it chain. The one armed snatch was minorly impressive but the crash broke the broom under her and the arm not holding the egg.

"IRIS POTTER HAS HER EGG!"

Hadrian just scoffed before the six other Bladed Queens returned, the redhead holding a cage with a rat.

"Its an animagus My Prince. Liberal but subtle memory charms made it so no one, not even the redheaded boy, ever remembered him owning a pet rat" the Siren said with a satisfied smirk on her lips. "The cage is charmed to be unbreakable and I used an aerosalized Draught of Living Death to keep whomever the rat is under until you're ready to rake them over the coals."

The five other Sirens scowled a little. They had been close but their baby sister got the rat first. "What of the other two sources?" the silver haired Siren asked.

"I'll deal with them in time." Hadrian took the cage in one hand before the other tossed the six Sirens white chocate wands from the inside of his coat. "You didn't think I was going to just reward one of you, did you? I'm not a needlessly cruel to my allies." With the cage in hand he disappeared in a swirl of wind, a trick his mother taught him two years ago.

* * *

Iris grimaced as Poppy vanished bones in her arm and all but forced Skele-Grow down her throat. "Just another reason I hate taking potions" she after nearly gagging on the horrible taste.

"With the crash you took young lady you should be counting your lucky stars you were not more hurt. As it stands you'll be spending the night in the hospital wing wing to regrow the bones you broke" Poppy said with a stern look aimed at the Potter Heiress. "Not speaking as your Healer though, that was some impressive improvization out there. It put you up in first place of the four champions "

Iris had the decency to look embarrassed as Poppy left. There was no way she could admit one of the other three champions helped her out. Not without incurring some form of penalty going forward. Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of two voices breaching the still air. A silent groan escaped her lips knowing her parents, well meaning as they were with her, were bound to make a bigger deal out of this than it was worth.

By the her parents left and Iris nearly asleep a bloodcurdling scream tore through the air jolting her to full wakefulness.

* * *

"Peter, Peter, Peter… Or perhaps I should call you Judas? After all, you both betrayed your friends." Hadrian's voice had an impassive unreadable tone as the portly man tried to escape his bindings, his voice echoing from all around the pitch black cell. "I'd quit trying to escape or thar barbed wire is only going to dig deeper into your wrists. A waste of flesh like yourself that is more fat than magic, well you don't have enough blood to lose before it starts to become lethal."

Peter Pettigrew trembled in his bindings. Where was he? Who had him trapped like this? Beady eyes shot around to find who was responsible for this.

"For a dead man you look surprisingly alive and well." Stepping into the sole light of the cell his eyes, currently the soul searing snake pupiled gold with green lines on either aide, shone with a malefic luster. "Selling out the Potter's to Voldemort, that takes more balls than brains Wormtail. Its ironically fitting, a rat animagus.. The weakest link scared of his own shadow… A traitor, a modern Judas."

"Ja-James!" Peter squealed in shock. "I...I didn.. I didn't do it! Sirius did!"

Hadiran chuckled darkly as he drew a knife from his belt. "I'm not James, Peter. But maybe I should let you in on a secret." He moved forward with the grace of the deadly predator he was. "James and Lily Potter? They're still alive. But you on the other hand, you won't be for very long." The knife was jammed into the portly mans side elliciting a scream of pain as his body shook making the barbed wire dig deeper and blood to cascade down. "I already carved the arithmantic runes into your skin to keep you from changing into your rat form so we're going to have a nice long talk about loyalty and after you answerwd all my questions" the serpertine pupils shrank to barely recognizable slits "then I will let you die."


	7. Horror and Hamstringing Government

Hadrian smirked a little as he sat in the Great Hall with a mug of coffee in hand. While nearly everyone in the hall was abuzz over the previous days First Task performances with the dragons, the exaggerated recap in The Daily Prophet amusing many, his eyes were trained on the staff table. By either a miracle or some loophole, both Potter parents were seated with the various school professors and British Ministry representatives & it was a very unpleasant ordeal judging by his view of Dumbledore's blank stare at the couple. "It's not my birthday or Yule but it seems I have gotten a gift" he chuckled to himself.

The Ilvermorny Headmistress warily eyed the teen professor on her staff. "Mr. Jonovich, what exactly did you do?" she asked with an even tone.

"Just a little wake-up call that has been a long time coming. It won't come back on the school or magical America so don't worry about it. As far as international grievance edicts are concerned, I have done nothing illegal so watch the show." Hadrian sipped his coffee while subtly shifting his shoulder to dislodge his Seeing Blood future-wife's head from it to circulate the feeling from the numb region. "It's about to begin so…" he trailed off as a hoard of seven owls swooped into the hall in an X shape formation.

Every eye turned to the owls, six who swooped down landing before the Potter's and Dumbledore. When the ancient wizard tried to touch the birds the biggest one, a rather fierce owl with obsidian feathers and eyes like cold disdainful gold, squawked angrily and slashed its talons at the offending hand drawing blood from a series of three long cuts.

"Obviously the packages are for you disgraces so take them and send the birds on their way" Dumbledore said with a hostile tone while casting a minor spell to close the scratches.

James made quick work of setting the packages in a pile before the owl that hadn't been on the table dropped a note clutched in its talons. All set the seven owls fled the hall, the obsidian owl in the lead. "What does the note say Lily Petal?" he asked seeing his wife go ashen pale in a moment, her hands shaking.

Lily dropped the letter, a pair of wizarding photos attached of a fat little man with a receding hairline and rat-like front teeth strung up with what appeared to be barbed wire or rough cut metal strands attached inside, as she flicked her wand at the six packages. She would later regret this course of action for as soon as the _Finite Incantem_ dispelled a size charm the packages changed from the innocuous looking brown paper wrapped boxes to a far more grizzly sight. The first two packages changed into a set of dismembered human legs. No more than a second later a pair of arms, one forearm marked by Voldemort's Dark Mark, clattered to the floor amidst horrified screams echoing from nearly every Hogwarts student. The biggest 'package' became a bloody robe covered limbless torso riddled with what appeared to be deliberately sloppy stabs wounds. It was at this point Lily couldn't hold it and had to lean over as she lost her stomach contents in a fit of projectile vomit as the last package became a severed human matching the man in the wizarding photos.

James looked horrified before snatching up the note seeing it was one short statement reading:

_I heard House Potter had a rodent problem it couldn't solve with the atomic bomb and an automatic tracking system. As you can see it is now dealt with. Clan Jonovich and the Ruska Roma will demand repayment when the time is right of our choosing. Should you refuse us it will be taken as a declaration of war and we take no mercy on House Potter or its allies. Also, give this terrorists corpse to your inept Ministry so that an innocent man can __**finally**_ _not have to fear stepping back in his home country and turn a corner to find a Dementor waiting to suck out his soul._

_-Jardani Jonovich_

Hadrian was just beyond tickled as the rest of the day the British Ministry representative fell into a tizzy between interrogating the Potter's demanding an explanation how a supposedly dead man, according to their records, appeared out of the blue. When the conversation turned to who Jardani and what the Ruska Roma was the young prince couldn't have invented a paler shade of white than what Lily's face became while giving vague answers.

* * *

*NEW YORK, SAME TIME*

John sneezed as he adjusted his tie and glanced over his shoulder. He couldn't wondering if his note attached to Hadrian's work was being read at that moment. It would explain the sneezing since it was too warm for him to catch a cold. A cruel delight shot through his veins as he knew the lengths his sister would go to hide her true roots from the ignorant pigs at the British Ministry of Magic. "Not that she could tell them anything about the Ruska anyway" he said to himself. This was due to a little oath they'd taken as kids to protect the clan as a whole above all else, even their lives if need be. Liliana could not disclose anything more than the fact the entirety of the Ruska Roma was the unified Russian Gypsy Clans, not without jeopardising her own life.

"Are you ready yet Jardani? The benefit begins in an hour and I _WILL NOT_ be late to my own event."

John rolled his eyes as he quickly slipped on a pair of cufflinks and the right tie bar to go with his suit. "Yes dear, I was slipping on my cufflinks" he said leaving the bedroom to see his wife and daughter waiting.

Ariana had decided on a silver dress to contrast John's black Armani suit. "Have you heard from our son recently? His routine letter didn't arrive this week" she said looping one arm around her husbands elbow.

Julia nodded her head clutching her mother's hand in her own cute silver dress and her hair braided by her mother.

John shot Ariana a look and after a moment received a knowing one in return when it dawned on her. "Your big brother is a busy man but I did receive a call from him late last night. He told me to tell you both he apologizes for missing his letter to you this week but since his student was put up against the First Task of their game, he has had to devote time to them. He also sends his love and" he bent down kissing the top of his daughters head "a promise to attach a gift with his next letter for his favorite sister."

Julia had pouted a little but the promise of a gift with the next letter from her brother made the five year old brighten up. Despite a rather well to do lifestyle afforded to their family, the child didn't particularly care about material possessions. Sure she liked her toys and all that like any kid did but thanks to a combination of her mother and brothers nearly minimalist ideology combined with her fathers sentimentality when it came to things that matter, the little girl knew her gift from her brother- whatever it would be- wasn't going to be some off the shelf meaningless trinket. He'd choose it for what was there in the realm of connection and _not_ because it was the newest most popular toy or a dumb reason like that; him and their parents were smart & thoughtful like that. "He doesn't have to but I won't complain if he does. I'm just glad knowing big brother is ok" she said with a tiny smile.

"Your big brother is a fighter and a really good one at that. Of course he's ok, who else is going to be the first one to scare off the boys who hurt his princess's feelings?" Ariana asked squeezing Julia's hand gently.

John felt a warmth in his chest as his gaze softened substantially. If he or Ariana didn't get their hands on anyone who hurt their little girl first, he knew Hadrian would. Not even considering the teachings of the Ruska, he knew Hadrian had fallen in love with his little sister from the moment he first saw her. He always helped to take care of her, never complained about her climbing into his bed during a thunderstorm or after a bad dream- quite the opposite actually- _or _even taking her places with him if it was appropriate given her age. Hadrian was the ideal elder sibling for lack of a better descriptor and he, not to mention Ariana, couldn't be more grateful how involved their son was with their daughters happiness. "Come on you two, we can talk about Hadrian later. We have a charity ball to get to" he said guiding the two most important women in his life out to the waiting limo.

* * *

Albus had a dark frown on his lips as Aurors interrogated the Potter's in his office. Despite his protests, he hadn't bothered to disguise his disgust at the dismembered body parts of Peter Pettigrew, the team of four led by Amelia Boned herself commandeered his office as some sort of command center while Kingsley Shacklebolt was dispatched to bring the young Jonovich to his office. "You are making a grave error" he said repeating the sentiment for what seemed like the millionth time.

Amelia gave Albus an equally dark yet unreadable look. "Peter Pettigrew was murdered b-"

"Pettigrew was already legally pronounced dead by the British Ministry of Magic thirteen years ago along with twelve Muggles, all supposedly murdered by Sirius Black _after_ allegedly betraying the Fidelius secret to Voldemort. Yet for all the swearing up and down the aisle the Potter's do that Sirius Black was not their Secret Keeper but Peter Pettigrew, a poor choice all but shoved down their throat and forcibly made by Albus Dumbledore since Sirius would be the obvious choice, the magical government refuses to withdraw its Kiss On Sight order against an innocent Lord of an Ancient and Most Noble House."

Six sets of eyes turned to see Hadrian Jonovich walk into the office with his boss at his side and Kingsley Shacklebolt held at gunpoint.

"You Brits really have no tact. Legally, according to your laws and the international statutes my employee can have this man's life for assaulting a foreign dignitary" the woman said casually.

"Assault?" Amelia asked incredulously.

"Yes, assault. As in the unwanted or non-consensual contact of an offending party taking action against an innocent party who has done them no harm or foul. Just like how this brute grabbed me by the arm and said I had no choice but to comply with a foreign government official demanding to speak to me. Captain Uganda is lucky I didn't murder him for his, and by extension your, actions" Hadrian said with a stony expression. "Normally I wouldn't have shown up here since I am not beholden to your laws, magical or otherwise. My boss, however, feels that this meeting will be good ammunition to oust Albus Dumbledore and the rest of you unrepentant ego maniacs keeping the standards of magic as modern as ye olde Camelot. You will either charge me with s crime, of which you have no evidence, or speak plainly and quickly. My tolerance for inbred retardation like this country is known to fester with is notoriously low."

Lily and James, who were still in shocked disgust and horror after the earlier macabre delivery, couldn't keep their eyes off the youth. "Harry.. So-"

A slight twitch of his hand had the gun, the one to focus his magic, shooting a dark emerald magical projectile from the barrel. The near miss disintegrated the line of Lily's red hair it touched before punching a hole in the masonry. "My name is not Harry, it is Hadrian and neither of you has the right to call me son. You allowed me and the world at large to believe you were dead. I was raised up until the age of six believing you were drunkards with a drug problem and his stupid whore of a wife courtesy of Petunia Dursley neé Evans. Your selfish actions left me to be treated as a slave and beaten like an abomination of nature that didn't know its own name until I began school. The muggle filth, _**dead **_muggle filth thanks to Uncle John who is now my dad, called me any number of vile derogatory titles Boy Freak and Demon. I wish you both nothing but contempt and a very long, slow, painful death."

The Potter's flinched back at the venomous tone of Harry's voice.

**{Especially you Liliana **_**No-Name**_**, Blood Traitors to the Clan and Ruska tenants deserve the most damning deaths of all. A woman who abandons her own child..for what? Prestige? Fame? More wealth? You make me sick just being in the same room as you!} **Hadrian hissed in Russian before spitting on the stone in the couples direction.

"I did not ask you here-"

"More like demand."

Amelia held in her desire to knead her temples. "I did not ask you here to tear your parents to shreds verbally. The pieces of the body delivered this morning to them in front of everyone in the Great Hall belonged to a friend of theirs."

"Some friend if he was a marked Death Eater who was supposed to be dead alongside twelve muggles. Tell me, is Cornelius Fudge still adamant Sirius Black sold out the Potter's despite it is on record in the Ancient Family archives he swore the Godfather Oath as my godfather the night I was born?" Hadrian asked rhetorically. He noted the shocked lock on the womans face. "Ah, he never told anyone did he? Smart move, murder the last rightful Lord of the House of Black by a Kiss On Sight order so that his biggest bribers son inherits the Black Lordship on his majority. Oh well, it's not going to work considering the Arcana Council has been drawn into the corrupt dealings of not only Cornelius Oswald Fudge but the Ministry of Magic as a whole and the British Wizengamot. I believe dad said he was going to talk to the Special Investigator General about the matter and see if he would investigate _personally_."

Albus and Amelia's eyes widened at that. The Arcana Council was an independent council of investigators dispatched by the only legislative body higher than the ICW, The Court of Merlin. The Court of Merlin, more commonly referred to as The Occult Court, rarely popped its nose into what they considered _mundane_ affairs like chasing terrorists similar to say Voldemort's Death Eaters. If Jardani Jonovich, the man Hadrian was freely referring to as his father, was familiar with members of the Arcana Council and on direct speaking terms with the lead investigator _**hell on earth **_would be unleashed. This worried both Albus and Amelia for very different reasons. For Albus it was a matter of him knowing how rottenly corrupt the ministry was. He was the Chief Warlock for Merlin's sake, how could he not know? Yet for as corrupt as the Ministry of Magic and the seated Wizengamot body was, he exploited it to push his agenda. Should any Arcana Council investigator, _especially_ the Special Investigator General, find out the guilty parties and he himself would be sentenced to the remainder of their as a muggle in Derr Gudden, the singular most dangerous prison for any former witch or wizard who bore the branding Morgan's Wailing Penance. The brand for Morgana's Wailing Penance… just the thought of the irreversible brand that destroyed a persons magical made his chest freeze with alarm.

For Amelia, her surprise stemmed from the fact that she had only heard of _**ONE**_ case where the Arcana Council investigators and The Court of Merlin became involved in any capacity. That case had nearly cost her nieces ancestor Jermiah Deeefield Bones his life for being in the wrong place at the wrong time during a massive executionary raid on Grindelwald's rise to power and the Knights of Walpurgis attempted an attack on Hogwarts.

*There is no-"

"I disagree with you Albus. You let terrorists go after the fall of your last Dark Lord Voldemort under the claims they did what they did under the influence of the Imperius Curse. The fact even people connected to the last Dark Lord who were supposedly dead _**are not**_ actually dead fully warrants the attention of The Court of Merlin and the Arcana Council. The fact you were about to spout off at the mouth about it most likely being barbaric and cruel to kill them, let me pose to you a question. Is it better a dead Death Eater or a dead innocent bystander?" the Ilvermorny Headmistress asked with a dark glare.

"Lets go boss, I've had enough of their idealist bullshit. It never ceases to amaze Voldemort didn't conquer this cesspool of a nation before I was born with weak leadeeship that encourages second chances of murdering, raping marked terrorists with enough noney to buy their way out of trouble" Hadrian said with a snarky tone. His eyes turned to the black man still being held at gunpoint. "The next time you touch me I will kill you for assault of a foreign delegate Captain Uganda. I do have to wonder how you, the descendent of slaves, got a job in law enforcement. Britain's just as notorious for its racist policies as its sexist ones. You have to be a mandatory diversity hire so the ICW doesn't look too closely at how corrupt your governing bodies are. Too bad that party is over." With a flourish he was gone on a light breeze wafting in through an open window with his boss.

Kingsley let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding. "What in Merlin's name was he talking about? Did you seriously leave him with muggles when you left us all to mourn your supposed deaths" he demanded glaring at James Potter, his former boss who had been just steps under Amelia in line of influence as Auror Captain.

No one outside of those who'd been in the office during the brief meeting would know until later the consequential Hellfire about to burn the rotted roots of the corrupted ministry to ash. Those who would walk out and away from the devastation would not be whole, especially not Albus Dumbledore or the Potter wife and husband pair.


	8. Ball lead up pt 1

TRIGGER WARNING: mention of self-harm(throw away line)

This is going to be part one of a two part chapter that will be the lead up and Yule Ball night.

**Also, screw the technology and magic don't mesh rule. For all intents and purposes in this fic that only applies to medieval magical Britain. Everywhere else has figured out how to marry electronics and magics so things like magic charged phones are a common thing. Particularly in magical America.

* * *

Following the drama of the First Task and the attempt at interrogation by Dumbledore, Hadrian and the Ilvermorny students fell into a steady routine. The core classes not taught by the teen professor were overseen by the Headmistress. While the others would not get as much from the lessons taken out of the course textbooks, his Esoteric Magic lessons took a step up in difficulty.

"I said to use _Ancient Norse Runes_, not _Ancient Sumarian_!" The exasperation in Hadrian's voice was almost audible as the rebound of the invocation knocked his student onto their ass. "How many goddamn times do I have to remind everyone that at this point in your curricular within my specialty that the runic languages are as important as the magic itself?"

The student who failed in their attempt scowled pushing themselves to their feet. "Those _**ARE **_Ancient Norse Runes!" the boy snapped pointing his wand to the burnt out magic circle. "Golems are notoriously easy to make so why are reteaching us something we learned Fifth Year?!" His tone was laced with a challenge and edged with irritation.

Hadrian was moments from backhanding the boy as his hands twitched violently.

One of the Seventh Year girls saw the twitching and got between the two men. "Professor, do not do something that'll cost your job. Jacob, _shut up!_ Half the circle you did in Ancient Sumarian and you know damn well as us it _**does not**_ play nice with Ancient Norse!" the girl snapped glaring at her schoolmate. " you want to kill us all with the magical backlash!"

The Headmistress sighed and decided for the betterment of all involved it was best for her to step in. "Enough all of you" she said, her tone strict and brokering no room for argument. "What Professor Jonovich is attempting to teach you is not the motley common golem magic but _true golem creation_ used by the Eastern Mages of The Orient. Unlike the bastardized version here in The West as those originating from oriental countries would call us, creating a _true golem_ is a multi-step process unlike hybrid alchemical-transfigurative process we know of. I can't tell you why the process uses Ancient Norse Runes as the circle base but using any other is asking for a death wish. You'd do well to always double check your work Mr. Michaelson, it may save your life considering the forces you are being taught to wield."

Jacob backed down with a huff and looked at the burnt out circle before cursing. His circle _was_ half composed of Ancient Sumarian Runes. "Apologies Headmistress, Professor Jonovich.." he said with a sigh.

"Considering I don't feel like taking another potentially near death encounter to the face, class is dismissed for the night. _**REVIEW**_ your material, those who didn't attempt the practical today will do so tomorrow." Hadrian gruffly waved his hand telling the kids to leave the classroom. Gods above he needed a drink right about now..but not around hist students.

From atop the boulder overlooking the lake Iris Potter brooded over her egg. Ever since the egg was gained in her display she couldn't get a moments peace to herself. "Not like I could before" she muttered to herself.

Her and her parents revealing themselves to be alive- they get treated like the Second Coming of Merlin on Earth. Her being Sorted into Gryffindor at the years start- the Light families went ballistic like a bunch Ireland National quidditch fans after they won the World Cup over Bulgaria. Her father telling the world at large _**she**_ defeated Voldemort and not her brother Harry- that bore with being not thought about.

"Bah! Just when I was hoping the lake would be without bumbling buffoons and irritants to think in peace..."

Iris looked up and saw a sufficiently annoyed Hadrian Jonovich stomping off swearing to himself in a language she couldn't make heads or tails out of. Despite his attitude, he was her elder brother and the fact he made no move to talk to her or get to know her pissed her off. "What the bloody hell is your problem?!" she snapped with a glare at his back. "You want to get pissy at them because they don't know how to think for themselves? Go ahead. You want to be vengeful at Albus Dumbledore for putting you with our mothers magic hating muggle sister? Be my Merlin be damned guest! But what the hell do you have against _**ME**_?!"

Hadrian stopped in his tracks and felt his eyebrow twitch. That pampered _brat_ wanted to pull that card with him? "I have every conceivable right to tar and feather you with the same brush as _them_" he said with a contemptuous tone. "Iris, little more than a weed the plebeian trash of olden day society elevated to status of flower because its supposedly pretty. A symbol of purity or some such nonsensical bullshit depending on if you ask a poet or potioneer." His head turned, eyes their serpentine gold when he was mad or emotionally wrought. "But it has a more prominent knee jerk thought as part of the human eye. Such as the saying that beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

"You're avoiding my question!" Iris barked with a fierce scowl. It took her a moment to realize she threw her golden egg at him in anger and just how much of a mistake that she just made.

"No _little girl_, you are too _**blind**_ to see what is truly in front of you. Just like your short-sighted, mindless slave parents." Hadrian spat on the ground and walked away, the grass under his boots dying and blackening with every step he took. "The world is cruel, I am crueler. Harsher. More ready to slash open the throat of my enemies and watch the life fade out of their beady eyes as their blood paints a mosaic of their death. You want to make a problem with _me_" he threw his arm to the side hearing a tumbling object flying at him and clenched his hand into a fist "I suggest you keep that in mind before those idiots bury what remains of your body in glass jam jar."

Iris' eyes were wide, her pupils practically the size of pinpoints, as the golden egg that had her clue-which she had yet to figure out- was crushed by an invisible force. The top, sides and bottom caved in with heavy protest before what was left of it, a half inch button size gold disc, pinged harmlessly off Hadrian's shirt.

"You want to continue to survive like good little chattel to be sold to the highest bidder by your parents _little girl_, improvise like Padfoot would have done. You want to _**live**_, cut yourself from the gangrenous festering wound you call parents and learn to make it in your world own. Not your fame, not what little remains of generations of money none of you have the right to use since they-meaning _your parents_\- earned very little of it and blew most of it on a ridiculous war effort instead of defending the family like a proper Lord & Lady should've. All I see is a pampered brat that won't live to the tournaments end." Hadrian walked away cursing in Russian as he pulled a flask from his pocket and took a long swallow. "If you _do_ live to see the end then obviously the other competing champions took pity on you. Sans my student of course, she's a right ruthless bitch in competition."

* * *

*NY CITY*

John dropped into his chair rubbing at his temples. Why, oh why, did his son have to be such a spot of trouble? Between the letter from Liliana, which contained an attached companion from his niece he hadn't bothered to read, and the bellyaching from Sirius he was considering a stiff drink when the pitter patter of small feet hit his ears. Leaning forward in his chair a small smile etched itself on his lips as he saw Julia running toward him. "There's my princess, how was your lesson?" he asked warmly while catching his daughter under the arms and pulled her onto his lap.

Julia giggled softly and cuddled into her father's chest. While she would have preferred her big brother Hadrian to cuddle up to, he usually spoiled her with a little treat when they curled up together, she wasn't going to complain about the warmth that filled her small body considering the dreary cold weather outside. "Moma had me working on my animals" she said clutching her dads suit jacket lightly with one hand. Had her father just come back from a meeting? He usually didn't dress up otherwise except if there was an event or if they went out as a family. "I got seven of them right this time. Moma said it's a marked improvement. What does marked improvement mean daddy?"

John nodded his head while kissing the top of his daughters head. While Julia was incredibly smart for a five year old, the doctors were already trying to diagnose her with ADHD. He, Ariana and Hadrian knew better since the real answer was simpler than that- Julia was a witch like her mother ergo mundane things were inherently less attractive to learning than magical ones; that's not to say she was learning just magic based early lessons since she wasn't but the magic ones came easier to her. "It means you did a lot better than last time and you are a very smart princess" he said with an adoring, proud smile. "Of course, you'll need to keep doing your best so that you become as smart as your moma, big brother and me." Smart yes but he hoped to keep Julia away from the more illegal parts of the family legacy. Hadrian was already involved and rather scary when he wanted to be so his worries were far less for his son but the thought of Julia being involved in the same made his heart clench in worry.

Julia nodded her head and nuzzled against her dad. "I will daddy. I want to make you, moma and big brother proud' she said with a sincerely sweet smile.

"We already are so proud of you precious little fairy."

John and Julia looked up spotting Ariana in the doorway. The warmth and adoration on the womans face was undeniably clear as a heartfelt tiny smile tugged at her lips. "Your moma is right, we are already so proud of the intelligent little girl you are princess. That's not even to begin to say how proud your big brother is of you" John said shifting a hand to tickle Julia a little momentarily. The innocent light hearted giggles made his eyes flash with a strong unbreakable determination to keep his daughter, _their_ daughter he mentally amended seeing the gleam in Ariana's eyes, innocent as long as possible.

Ariana's eyes were glowing as she strode over and lifted Julia up into her arms tapping her daughters nose playfully earning a cute wrinkle of it. "Oh spare me the nose wrinkle you" she said with a slight amusement in her tone. "Didn't you have something to tell your daddy? Besides how smart you are of course."

Julia furrowed her brow adorably thinking for a moment before nodding. "Moma sent me in to tell you lunch is ready" she said with a tilt of her head.

"Well why don't you two start without me then ok? I was just about to call your big brother to ask him about adult stuff but I'll be sure to let you talk to him ok" John said offering his pinky out to Julia.

The little girl nodded her head and hooked her pinky around her fathers. As far as she was concerned, at this stage in her young life so far, a pinky promise was the ultimate unbreakable promise. "Ok daddy, lets go moma. Adult stuff is boring" Julia said taking her hand back.

"Some of it can be, yes" Ariana said with a chuckle heading towards the open kitchen-dining room as she noted John dialing on his phone.

* * *

*HOGWARTS*

Hadrian was reviewing a runic matrix when he felt a vibration in his pocket. Only a handful of people had his number and he could guess with all certainty who it was. "You know dad, it is downright disturbing sometimes when you know I'm being an asshole to somebody" he said after accepting the call and shoving the phone between his ear & shoulder.

"Well you know what they say, a father has this sense when their children are up to no good. Even if they are considered legal adults" John said with a knowing tone. "So who was it?"

"Depends on what time. After my work on the Judas with your note, I was faux interrogated. I say faux interrogated because it was a pathetic attempt. You should have seen the head cops shock when I told her she was pretty stupid for saying Pettigrew was murdered despite being declared legally dead thirteen years ago. That's before I asked her if Cornelius Fudge told anyone that Sirius was my Oathsworn Godfather. The implied statement he couldn't have done the betrayal was left unsaid." Hadrian said with a tone that was really nonchalant. "When her skin went pallid that told me all I need to know."

"That wasn't why I got the feeling that you were making someone miserable. Spill it."

"Just a few minutes ago you mean then? That was my so called blood sister. She had the nerve to ask me what my problem was with her. Made some assumptions about what I felt about James, Lily Potter and Albus meddlesome Dumbledore. Dared to ask what my problem was with her" Hadrian said waving his hand to blank the matrix out and start anew. "She got on my nerves and threw her clue egg at me while I tore her a verbal new one. Of course I may or may not have crushed her clue egg to the size of a button."

A sigh echoed from John's end of the line. "Can I say something as an impartial party?"

"Impartial my ass. You have a bias for me as your son but by all means" Hadrian said as he snorted.

"Do you want to see her die? I _loathe_ them quite a bit, obviously not as much as you do, but you understand the concept of drinking from a poisoned well right?" John asked.

"Oh I do, quite well thank you. Just ask Jeremiah how well I understand the concept" Hadrian said starting to carve the outermost circle of Norse Runes. "I did leave her alive unlike some people I could mention but won't. Left her some advice as I walked away drinking from my flask." The deep sigh from his father was ignored. "We are Russian and it was taking a drink or kill her" he said as his carving knife cut a power tempering rune into the stone. "Anyways, I told her if she wants to just survive as the chattel all Pureblood and half blood wizarding daughters are then her best chance was to improvise as Sirius would. If she wants to live, and I did stress on the word live, I told her it was best to cut ties with her parents because they are so short-sighted she's going to end up either dead or some ninety year old wizards kept and miserable trophy wife as soon as she turns seventeen. Most likely."

John sighed again and it was obvious he must've been pinching the bridge of his nose in exasperation. "You're not going to approach her to even _try_ are you?" he asked.

"Not without good cause. I already told Anya I would watch her but this encounter is a black tally against her" Hadrian said rolling her eyes. "Karma is a pleasant choir girl compared to me and you know that. Any other reasons you called beyond wanting to hear about my conquests?"

"You've taken a minor to bed?"

"No but I should probably tell you I found a Seeing Blood" Hadrian said with the same nonchalant tone. Accurately guessing his father's reaction he let his carving knife drop to the side and removed the phone from his ear just before a loud 'What?!' of surprise threatened to blow out his speaker. "Her name is Luna Lovegood and according to her she is one of two brides I am meant to have. Both of which are here at Hogwarts" he continued once the ringing in his ear stopped. "That should mean they are a Hogwarts student or a Beauxbatons. Hopefully. I might be considered an adult but if my second bride Luna cannot identify is that bag of bones Minerva McGonagall I think I'll slit my wrists in disgust."

"If you did that you do realize the trouble you'll be in and I don't mean your mom or me."

"I'm being dramatic so stop the tone sheesh" Hadrian said with a scoff. "The munchkin is scarier than you two when she's upset with me."

"Speaking of munchkins-"

"BIG BROTHER!"

Despite himself Hadrian felt a tiny smile pull at his lips. For nearly half an hour or so he was content to allow Julia to ramble on about her lessons, playdates with her friends and even her telling how she was taking good care of Josie for him with their moms help. "As much as I'd love to talk all night, it's late over here. Big brother will be home with presents for christmas before you know it" he said with a loving tone.

"You promise?" Julia asked, her tone carrying across a pleading tone.

"I'd give you a pinky promise but I can't do that through the phone but I do promise. Cross my heart and hope to die, stick a needle in my eyes promise." He thought heard a little sniffle for a moment.

"Ok.. I love you big brother and I miss having you around." Julia's voice was softer now and there was an undertone of sadness.

"Think of it this way ok? When I come home for christmas you'll love me even more than you do now" Hadrian said with a gentle loving tease. The tiny quiet giggle followed by it would be impossible to love him more than she already did told him she was feeling a tiny bit better. "Let me talk to mom and dad ok?"

"Ok, what did you say to get your sister tearing young man?" Ariana asked with a stern tone when the phone was in her possession.

"Nothing mom, chill out will you? She said she misses me and I promised her I would be home for christmas with gifts making her love me more than she does now. Like I would ever hurt or make the family angel cry" Hadrian said rolling his eyes, the tone of voice carrying across that he was hurt by the accusation.

"It's too quiet around here without you, you know? I think she's going a little stir crazy without you around to be her leash." Ariana watched John coax their daughter to eat while cracking jokes and making faces to make the five year olds mood lighten.

"Trust me, I'd prefer being my little sisters leash than have an idiot student nearly blow the whole lot of us here to kingdom come. You'd think you tell a final year student use Ancient Norse Runes only when doing step one to make a _true golem_ and he draws half the rune circle in Ancient Sumarian" Hadrian said with a sigh.

Ariana mouthed to John she'd be right back before stepping out to an adjoining hallway; she preferred to keep any explicit comments she had to make kept out of earshot of their daughter. "Just be safe over there. If you get your ass killed over I swear I will find your ghost and bind it to something embarrassing like a dildo or a vibrator" she said quite bluntly.

Hadrian choked on his spit and had to drop the carving knife to bang on his chest hard.

"Don't think I'm joking either."

"Li-like I'd do something like that to make my baby sister cry mom. I got to go, love you. Tell sad too." Hadrian hung up before his mother could try to kill him with veiled threats over the phone.

Behind a nearby bush watching the sunset Luna smiled serenely as her eyes drifted to Hadrian's form. So much to do and so little time to do it.. She was hoping by the time Yule holidays came around her father would get back to her. Christmas with her future in-laws would be nice; doubly if the little sibling spoken of was half as precious as the shade of Hadrian's aura, a shade of red that was between a deep yet light and warm, depicting the adoration he had for them.

Further away but still in range to hear, just barely though, Lily Potter's eyes shined sorrow and hurt.


	9. Dirty Ball and Shiver moments

Hadrian scowled at the mass of children before him. While many of the boys opted for traditional wizarding robes, sans the Durmstrang boys who wore their school militaristic uniform minus their fur overcoats, and the girls wore gowns or dresses of varying degree of expensivity the teen was not impressed. At least _his_ students knew how to coordinate outfits. As for Hadrian himself he went a rather simple but timeless look for his own outfit, a jet black italian silk suit- two buttons not three- with a white shirt and crimson tie. Ten minutes he would be present, long enough to do a necessary dance and make the barebones niceties with the tournament officials before leaving for home.

"I take it you find the tournament distasteful Mr. Jonovich. You haven't stopped scowling since you appeared from your room."

"I find _Britain_ distasteful, Joyce" Hadrian corrected briefly looking to the schools headmistress and her silver-fish sequin accented gown.

"Dumbledore." It was an answer Joyce knew to be true even as she said it.

"Among other people and things, yes he is part of it." Hadrian watched his student dance the opening waltz with the other champions and their dates. When it was appropriate other couples joined the waltz. "Shall we make like trained monkeys then?" he asked offering a hand to the older woman.

"Considering my animagus form, I will pretend to not have heard that." Joyce took Hadrian's hand and got into position. Despite the height difference they danced together rather well earning a polite applause when the song ended. Almost immediately as it ended she saw the young man make hasty conversation with necessary tournament officials sans Dumbledore and then he was gone. One second he was wearing a strained smile as Cornelius Fudge was trying to say something self-inflating about his importance in the tournaments resurrection and in the course of a single eye blink he was gone.

"Headmistress Joyce, I hope you are enjoying yourself."

Joyce looked up from her eyes sweeping the hall to find Dumbledore approaching with two of his staff members in tow, a crimson haired woman and a hazel eyed raven haired man, and the secondary Hogwarts Champion with her date. The two staff looked anxious for a reason she was pretty sure she could pin down with her eyes closed. "Well as can be" she said being diplomatic about her word choice.

"You wouldn't have seen young Mr. Jonovich have you? I was meaning to pick his brain about-"

Joyce shook her head the thinly veiled implication. "He already left for the evening and quite frankly I don't expect him back to resume classes with my students until _after_ the new year break. American Time, not British. He said he had some familial duties to attend to before the 'dying night' of the year was upon us that he could not shirk." It was a load of bullshit but just like her students, she would backup and protect her employees & with guys like Albus Dumbledore sticking his crooked, seemingly perpetually broken, nose into Hadrian's business they needed protection _from Hadrian_.

Lily's eyes dimmed at that. Ever since overhearing the conversation between Harry and her brother Jardani everything was a lot more _muted_ for the Potter matriarch. Rune research no longer had the spark to get her worked up to making or upgrading something. James' impish pranks were getting on her nerves and even Iris expressing a curiosity about a boy to bring him as her Yule Ball date-strictly as new acquaintances her mind drably remembered- was _boring_. Harry though, her baby boy…

* * *

*Jonovich Ranch, NY*

Phasing into the barn office where the stables were Hadrian noticed two things. Number one, it was cold and if he could feel the cold that meant the horses could. Cranking the thermostat a few degrees to heat the barn was no big deal. The cost was negligible compared to the earning the family brought in. Before heading inside where he knew the family had to be eating dinner her stopped at Josie's stable showering the Clydesdale with attention although between the headbutting and nips it was arguable the gentle giant was the one _showering him_ with attention. "Easy girl" he said between chuckling breaths as he rested his chin on her long nose. "I'm home for a little bit and I promise I'll be around to take care of my favorite equine personality."

Josie snorted stamping her hoof.

Leaving the horse to relax Hadrian made his way towards the house while pulling a bag from his suit pocket and undid the shrinking charm making it swell to nearly as large as a duffel bag stuffed to capacity. "Knock knock, I got a toy delivery for a special family courtesy of Air Gypsy!" Not even ten seconds after he was in the house was he tackled to the ground by a beautiful little cannonball still in her church clothes making him laugh.

"Big brother!" Julia was beyond happy as she hugged Hadrian as tight as her little body would allow.

"I think she missed me" Hadrian said with a little half smirk aimed at their parents who were looking at them with a fond exasperation. "Come on Jewels, let me up. I haven't eaten yet and I can smell moms food from here."

Julia giggled sweetly nuzzling into Hadrian trying to hug her big brother more. Unlike her parents who more often than not called her princess, her brother adored calling her Jewel or Jewels. He told her more than once it was because when she was in a room it was instantly brighter and more cheerful due to her sweet & kind personality. "Fine but I get to sit on your lap" she said with a determined face.

"I have no objections to that. Come on, we can all open gifts after dinner is done" Hadrian promised when he finally was allowed to his feet. Leaving the bag of gifts by the door he followed the older couple back to the dining room while he had a hold of his sisters hand as she gave him a rundown of the last few days. While they ate, talked and laughed the relaxation in his shoulders was visible. There was no doubt in his mind that his mom and dad would be talking to him, more like concerned interrogation, about it _after_ Julia was asleep tucked up in her bed.

Dinner was an hour long affair as his parents caught him up about the adult goings on. His mom got a promotion at her IT consulting firm over some sexist pig who talks about women like third class citizens and objects, Josie won several ribbons keeping with his competition schedule and as far as his dad put it- "the catering side of family business is booming as usual". The choice to call their illegal underground works 'Catering' was an ironic double entendre. Just like culinary catering companies suited to the customers needs for say a wedding reception, the underground operates in the same fashion for its black market services. _'Not to mention its as much an underground business as it is legitimate' _he thought bouncing Julia on his knee as she dug into her helping of parfait.

"Why don't you go sort the presents into piles princess? We'll be right behind you" Ariana said collecting the plates once desert finished.

"It's ok, go on. We'll be just a minute" John said ruffling Julia's hair.

"No opening them without us " Hadrian said shaking his finger in a mock authoritative way. All he got his efforts was Julia giggling at him and running to retrieve the duffel bag of gifts before running into the living room, bag in tow. "Ok, who's going to ask it first?" he asked, helping to pack the dishwasher.

"What got on your nerves enough that it takes being home to relax?" Ariana asked looking at her son out of the corner of her eye.

"Four specific people from Hogwarts. Students not listening and nearly blowing up me, themselves and my boss. Take your pick" Hadrian said shrugging. "Being home where I'm not surrounded by bumbling students or people trying to brown-nose their way into my good graces is… a breath of fresh air. It was only by the graces Hecate I wasn't slashing throats left and right before incinerating the bodies to ashes Greek Fire." The blase way he said didn't seem to surprise either of his parents, he'd be shocked if it did considering how involved they _both_ were.

"If you haven't killed them, what _have_ you done to them?"

Hadrian smirked a little viciously as he led his parents to the living room where four distinct piles of gifts were sitting. "Something a little juvenile" he said with a gleam in his eyes while sitting in the armchair Julia pointed to. "Anyone who annoyed me, sans my students, will feel my ire in about" he popped out his silver pocket watch and clicked the face open exposing the watch face "five minutes. Hershey Brown is the new Dove White or so I heard."

Ariana facepalmed cursing in Russian, Julia was still learning the alphabet and pronunciations so she to swear for now, while John had a sadistic amused look in his eyes. "Let's just open gifts before your sister decides to permanently affix herself to your leg like a pogo stick."

* * *

*HOGWARTS*

The Yule Ball was starting to really hit the high point of the night as The Weird Sisters came onto the stage the quartet of classical musicians who had been contracted for the traditional start to the ball.

"Are you all ready to rock?!"

More than a fair few of the foreign dignitaries, not to mention the legions of global magical press corps, looked affronted at having a rock style band at an event like this. Balls were elegant events that were ninety percent schmoozing and building political or personal connections versus the ten percent that makes it a 'party' type event. The mere fact that the British ministry thought such… 'entertainment' was appropriate for such an important event for all involved was hideous. Midway through the first song was when the groanings were heard. The press and foreign guests assumed even some of the British were embarrassed by their governments actions enough to be vocal.

That was _before_ the first horrified yell was heard following a _**wet **_sound reverberating off the floor. People were clearing from the impromptu mosh pit in front of the stage holding their noses and looking green in the gills. There rooted like trees were nearly a dozen Hogwarts kids with _**brown puddles **_around their feet and largely stained brown robes or dresses. One of the Slytherins laughed seeing how stained Iris Potter's dress, once a shade of virginal white like fresh fallen snow and rather fitted to her body, was now significantly stained _**brown**_ down her butt & legs and dripping through the dress material.

Near all the victims ran out in horror, some of the girls crying in sheer embarrassment, of what happened. Whoever did this would pay was the silent vengeful swear all the affected made in their minds.

* * *

*Jonovich Ranch, Hadrian's room after all the presents were opened*

Hadrian tucked Julia's sleeping form into his side after sliding into bed. Despite his promise to be there when she woke up the five year old wouldn't leave his side. Not that he minded all that much. She was still young enough for it to be adorable and not raise eyebrows, another plus in favor of her being clingy. "May the sweetest dreams find your mind and let your rest go undisturbed my beloved sister" he whispered softly after kissing her forehead. The unconscious snuggle he got in return made his heart melt with love and warmth.

Watching their children from Hadrian's doorway John and Ariana couldn't help feeling proud & smug. Hadrian, who had mostly raised by John before the beautiful woman walked into their lives, was a perfect caretaker and protector in the works. He could protect all that mattered to him at all costs, loved with a gentle heart, had the tender temperament to be able to use a gentler hand to solve issued where needed without it coming off as false and most importantly- in their opinion- was that they could see him being as good if not better as a dad than John currently was. Hadrian treated Julia like a princess, like the world revolves around her and no extreme was too far to see her smile, hear her laugh or know for certain she was happy and safe. If this was how he treated his baby sister they could only _imagine_ how loved and protected Hadrian's own children, _especially his daughters_, would be!

"I think we've raised a good man. A kind, protective and loyal man even if he is bloodstained."

John nodded in agreement at Ariana's statement. "I would love to claim most of the credit for it but I can't" he said wrapping his arm around Ariana's waist and pulled her close. "Our son is the best of us both and trust me" he leaned in close so his lips were less than an inch from hers "you are the better part of me Ariana. I don't know where we'd be if we never met you."

Ariana sighed softly and kissed her foolish husband. "Overweight and trigger happy most likely" she said with a tiny smile of sarcasm. "My sun, my moon and stars; we are the better parts of each other Jardani and our children are the very best of us. We are equally blessed." Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper really, as one hand came up caressing his cheek with a ghost light touch. "We should retire to bed my love, we're supposed to be heading my parents so the kids can get those presents in the morning."

John pressed his cheek into Ariana's hand as he rolled his eyes a little. "You mean Julia gets her presents right? The last time Hadrian asked for a proper gift he asked for your father's Ranger CQC manuals on loan" he said.

"No, I do mean both our children. My father has decided what to do with a particular family legacy item" Ariana replied tugging John towards their bed.

"Which one?" John asked now genuinely interested.

"He plans to gift to our son the family Griswald used by my great great grandfather Collin Bohanon during the Civil War. While you are my husband and loved dearly by my parents as well as myself, our Harry is the son they never had. My father sees so much of his younger self in our boy John. That gun has always been passed to the next head of the family for three generations, as powerful and binding as any wizarding Head of House ring. Our son is going to do extraordinary things as the next Gypsy High King of the High Table but with the backing of Platinum Kings of Eden" Ariana's eyes narrowed slightly to show how serious she was "he will be nigh unstoppable. King of kings, master of masters and above all else- God among men."

John shivered internally. The Platinum Kings of Eden was an order of Battle Magi that began with the Pre-Columbus native american Shamans and Mystics. After the arrival of Columbus and time passed the Platinum Kings evolved into a fraternal order of combat mages & witches that backed every winning side of every major conflict. Organizations like the Freemasons and The Illuminati often took the fall for the Platinum Kings taking action, a deliberate misdirection since both organizations had been battling from their inception to usurp the Platinum Kings power and authority.

Woe behold their sons enemies for if the gypsy tribes or High Table factions did not get them, there was no doubt in his mind the Platinum Kings of Eden would. _That_ was not a fate he would wish on anyone, not even his worst enemy, if half the rumors of how brutal and sadistic the _**lowest rank**_ Platinum King was.


End file.
